Former Frailty Ward patient, Yvonne Mackenzie, is looking forward to watching her favourite Christmas television programmes with her budgie Birdie, having been discharged home just in time for Christmas.
Yvonne, aged 87, spent six days on the Frailty Ward at HRI and thanks to our fabulous Frailty Hospital at Home service (formerly known as the Virtual Ward) she’s back home and looking forward to watching the Christmas Day edition of Strictly Come Dancing.
Nurse Consultant Acute Frailty and Older People, Kelly Moss, said: “Yvonne was finally pleased to get home to her budgie Birdie and to watch Strictly, her favourite Christmas television programme. She was transferred to the Discharge Lounge in the late morning and discharged home that afternoon.”
How Hospital at Home (formerly Virtual Ward) can help care for patients in their own home
Hospital at Home combines hospital and community healthcare services, extending hospital treatment into the community to allow earlier discharge. If after an assessment, a patient can be safely managed away from the hospital environment, and the patient and their families agree, their care can be undertaken by the Hospital at Home team.
Can the family or carers help?
If a reablement package or package of care is arranged for after Christmas, can the family step in now and offer support in the interim?
A few hours away from hospital on Christmas Day
If your patient is well enough, even for a short visit to family - can you accommodate it? A few hours away from hospital may make them feel brighter.
Are those tests reason enough to keep patients in hospital?
If patients are awaiting diagnostic tests, such as bloods, is it really vital they remain in hospital? Is an option to support an earlier discharge and ask them to attend as an outpatient? Or could they be seen in the community with a follow up with their GP or under the Hospital at Home service?
Seamless Home from Hospital can support transport, with skilled Age UK staff on hand when there are mobility issues
Community Transport Calderdale is working in partnership with Age UK Calderdale and Kirklees to provide the ‘Home from Hospital’ service.
Seamless Home from Hospital is a free service offering support and transport to elderly (people aged 50 and over) and vulnerable patients in Calderdale and parts of Kirklees. It must be booked by our colleagues. Read more on their website.
Extra advice and support from the Discharge Team
The team are there to offer extra advice and guidance, such as community support on leaving hospital. Please contact them if you need support.
Thank you to colleagues for your support in getting our patients home for Christmas.
Pictured is Yvonne with HRI Discharge Lounge colleagues, Laura Bates, Vigilant Sibanda and Faustina Ampofo.
How to contact the Discharge Lounge to see if your patient is eligible
Contacting the lounge as soon as possible will support us to free up beds across the hospital. The lounge has some bedded side rooms so they are able to take a more diverse group of patients.
- The lounge is open Monday to Friday 07:00 to 19:30.
- The mobile number for referrals is: 07379 061905
- The extension numbers are: 2290 and 7405
Find out more about the Hospital at Home team
At our latest Experience of Care meeting, a recent patient story was shared that illustrates how the Hospital at Home team (formerly called Virtual Frailty Ward) supported one of our patients to be cared for at home, surrounded by familiar things. If you have a few minutes, please take a look: Digital Story Library - CHFT Intranet.
If you would like to know more about the the Hospital at Home team or any of the other services provided by the Community Division, please contact Calderdale.communitydivision@cht.nhs.uk