We launched a new project in July, working alongside the START team based at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge. The focus is to support people to return home and to be supported to avoid another admission into hospital.
Our Addenbrooke’s Carer Support Officer and new Discharge and Admission Avoidance Team will be working closely to identify other voluntary support and services the patient and their family can be linked into.
8 months in to the project we have been asked to support 172 people in their discharge from hospital, and we have capacity to support more.
Janice Watson, who is leading the coordination of the care team says:
“I love going to Addenbrooke’s and working with the Discharge Team. They are all lovely and have made me very welcome. We share information which is helping to make the transition from hospital to home run smoothly. Also, I have been on the wards and I have actually met the clients face to face.”
The daughter of one of the patients said:
“This is a step forward for my father for Carers Trust Cambridgeshire to fill in the gap and to make it safe for his return home, on being discharged from hospital. This will make a real difference for him to be able to recuperate at home until reablement is able to start.”
Case study
A lady came in to A&E following a fall. She uses eye drops and a nasal spray and accidentally sprayed the nasal spray in her eyes. Her sister came to pick her up and she fell and hit her head.
We were asked by START to do a check in call the following day to settle the lady back at home, make sure she was ok and help to shower if needed. Without this, they would have kept her in hospital overnight but our involvement meant she did not need to stay in, saving the hospital money.
Following the care call, we referred the lady to Age UK. She has also looked at getting a key safe and pendant alarm to help her to remain safer in future and Age UK have helped her to apply for Attendance Allowance.
Her sister, who is 86, helps to care for her so we have also offered her carers support. She has all of our information and is having a think about it and we are due to follow up with her in a few weeks. Her sister previously did not know of Carers Trust Cambridgeshire so we have managed to identify a new carer.
