The NHS is urging local people to do all they can to help their relatives, friends, and neighbours leave hospital in time for Christmas.
Health and care organisations have been working together to improve the level of ‘wrap-around’ rehabilitation care that people may need when they leave hospital this winter. This is helping more people go straight home from hospital rather than into another setting, such as a care home.
On average, people are discharged 1.5 days after they are medically fit, which is an improvement from a 3-day average last year. Despite this drive to help get people home more quickly, there can sometimes be delays due to other issues.
There are a number of ways that family members, friends, and neighbours can help their loved ones get home:
- Offer them a lift home.
- Check they have a key.
- Get essential supplies, such as bread and milk.
- Make sure their home is warm and safe.
- Make sure they have suitable clothing and shoes.
Maria Principe, Director of Delivery and Operations at NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, said: “We want people to be able to return home, or to another suitable care setting, as soon as they are medically fit. This is much better for their recovery, both physically and mentally.
“Our multi-disciplinary teams in hospitals continuously assess people to find out when they are ready to go home and help get the right services in place to support them. But often something as simple as a wait for transport or a missing house key can create a delay. We’re urging people to do everything they can to help their loved ones get home in time for Christmas.”
Last Christmas, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) created 420 empty beds by Christmas Eve through discharging medically safe patients. This year, NUH is hoping to create 430 empty beds by getting more patients home for the festive period.
Dr Mark Simmonds, Deputy Medical Director at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We want as many patients as possible to be home for Christmas. We are working with our system partners to ensure we can safely discharge patients over the coming days.
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“By working together, we can ensure that hospital beds are available for those who need them most in early January, when we see high demand. It also means our current patients will be where they want to be for Christmas: at home.
“If you have a loved one or family member in hospital, please support us so we can ensure nobody stays in hospital any longer than is necessary. You can help us by arranging transport to pick loved ones up and ensuring homes are warm and stocked with the necessities to reduce the risk of readmission.”
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A 1,000 m² Discharge Lounge opened in April at King’s Mill Hospital in Sutton-in-Ashfield, thanks to multi-million-pound government funding, which has increased capacity and is helping to improve patient flow and discharge efficiency.
Janine Foxhall, Associate Director of Operations (Urgent and Emergency Care) at Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust, said: “Patients staying in hospital longer than they need are at risk of becoming more physically unwell and delaying their recovery, as well as catching viruses that circulate more at this time of year — including flu, Coronavirus, and Norovirus.
“We all have a part to play in supporting our NHS this winter, and what we really need local people to do is support their friends, relatives, and loved ones to leave hospital as soon as they have received the vital care they need.”
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