Care facilities increased to free up hospital beds

Services to help patients leave hospital are to be "stepped up" to free up hospital beds in Hull, health officials have said.

The NHS Humber Health Partnership said it was working to enhance community care facilities for patients from Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital.

The services include accommodation for people leaving hospital who are homeless, beds in the community for patients who aren't well enough to return home and more support for those who are.

Rachel Kemp, from Homefirst Transformation, said the services were important because research showed "people who stay too long in hospital can develop problems like muscle wastage and loss of independence".

The health partnership said it was working with Hull City Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council and City Health Care Partnership to strengthen enhanced home support, private providers and rehabilitation care.

It said local accommodation would be used for homeless people so they could recover following serious illness or injury.

The partnership added that it was also investing in additional beds in "intermediate care facilities" for patients recovering from strokes or other serious conditions who are not well enough to return home.

Hospital teams are also working with the voluntary sector to help discharged patients once they were back at home. This included support with benefits, heating, shopping or loneliness and with long-term conditions that could lead to hospital readmission.

Kemp added: "It's about ensuring people receive the right service, at the right time, to enable them to recover."

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