New ‘hospital ward at home’ service for Exmouth area
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A new service is set to launch in the Exmouth area to provide care for people in their own homes.
The ‘hospital ward at home’ service will mean some people who have recently left hospital will receive support in their own home – rather than going into a care home or community hospital. In addition some people will be supported to remain at home, rather than be admitted unnecessarily.
It will launch on Monday 5 December.
The service is for patients aged over 18 who are registered with a GP in the Woodbury, Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton catchment area and who have ‘extended care’ needs. This could mean patients recently discharged who require rehabilitation and support to regain independence after a fall or other medical issue.
It will be overseen by doctors but led by a team of nurses, occupational therapists and community care workers from Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust. It will also be supported by a team of specialist mental heath staff from Devon Partnership NHS Trust.
The service will initially be available seven days a week with admissions to the ‘hospital at home’ service on Monday – Saturday from 9am – 6pm.
Dr Richard Mejzner, a GP at Budleigh Salterton Medical Practice, said: “As healthcare professionals, we know that many of our patients, particularly the frail and elderly, end up being admitted to hospital when in reality their healthcare issues could have been dealt with in the local community.
“We have invested in our community services to help prevent unnecessary admissions to hospitals. This service will also mean patients can be discharged earlier to their own home where their care will continue.”
Lead consultant geriatrician at the Royal Devon & Exeter, Dr Anthony Hemsley said: “Patients with cognitive impairment and dementia respond better when their care and rehabilitation is provided in the familiar surroundings of their own homes.
“We intend to provide the same quality of care and consultant involvement the patient would have received on a specialist hospital ward, prevent unnecessary and often stressful admission to hospital and enable prompt discharge back home.
“As well as the ‘hospital ward at home’ pilot, the RD&E has created a short stay rehabilitation ward to provide care for up to 18 patients with short term but intensive rehabilitation needs and their discharge from this ward will be directly to their homes.
“All of this work has put the patient at the heart of the development and delivery of the service. A similar approach introduced for stroke patients – providing specialist healthcare at home – has proven to be successful and we are hopeful that likewise this pilot will improve patient experience and care.”
Councillor Stuart Barker, the Council's Cabinet Member responsible for social care, said:
“We are working closely with NHS Devon to pilot a new way of working that elsewhere in the country is successfully helping more people to recover from hospitalisation, to reduce admissions and retain their ability to live independently in their own homes.
“With our own social care reablement service we are already helping more people remain independent in their own homes in Exmouth than elsewhere in the county, and the intermediate care pilot will complement this and demonstrate how working together can provide better outcomes for people.”
