Thanks to additional national discharge funding, we are working closely with partners in the wider care sector to help ensure local people get the right care in the right place.
Occasionally, there are times when people are unable to return home despite being medically fit. While plans are put in place to support a safe discharge home, we are working with care homes like Godden Lodge in Benfleet to provide temporary bed space. This helps make sure hospital beds are freed up for those that need them while still focussing on making sure people have the necessary support they need to retain good health and independence at home.
For those that have been successfully discharged home, thanks to the support of local community and voluntary services, local residents also now have access to everyday superheroes in their local area who can help signpost to sources of help and support. Local community hubs can provide help to individuals, enabling them access to food shopping, prescriptions and heating.
Community HubsA welfare check pathway has also been developed to assist certain patients being discharged from hospital with a call to check if they need any welfare support. 250 people per day are offered support, residents are also offered a home safety check from the fire service to help reduce the risk of falls as well as fire risk.
Our health and care system is also working with Charis, a trusted administrator for many essential funds and grants. The Charis Grants Platform supports those being discharged from episodes of acute and mental ill health with food, fuel and a range of consumables to ensure they are safely discharged home. Charis is an online shopping platform that can be used by professionals, food can be delivered within a 30-minute window of an individual being discharged.
New volunteer reservists offer another source of support to residents and staff. Around 300 expressions of interest have been received from members of our community to help support system pressures. Our first volunteers have completed the necessary training and are ready for deployment. They will be acting as ward runners, mealtime buddies and dementia friends. Part of this work also involves building a strong volunteer community to assist with better access to volunteering, whilst also improving the volunteer experience.