As Christmas approaches, our Resilience, Acute Flow and Transformation Team are asking colleagues to support their Home for Christmas campaign, by working with patients, families and carers to understand what's important to them.

Associate Director of Nursing, Renee Comerford, said: "Every day is special and supporting people to be cared for closer to home is always our priority. Every day is precious and Christmas is a special time for people with their friends and family. Let’s walk in our patients' shoes to understand how we can make their wish come true so they can be home for Christmas.

"Helping patients get home for Christmas is in our gift, so please talk to your patients and find out what's important to them - it really will make a difference and displays real patient-centred care."

Our Virtual Ward can help care for patients in their own home

Our Virtual Ward is a combined hospital and community healthcare service. It extends hospital treatment into the community to allow earlier discharges from hospital. If the assessment deems individuals safe to be managed away from the hospital environment and the patient and their families agree, their care can be undertaken by the Virtual Ward.

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 may be all they need away from our hospital walls to help them feel brighter.

Are those tests reason enough to keep patients here?

If patients are awaiting diagnostics 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?

Seamless Home from Hospital can support transport and skilled Age UK staff when there are mobility issues

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 renee.comerford@cht.nhs.uk and kate.frost@cht.nhs.uk if you need support. 

Open visiting on Christmas Day and Boxing Day

On Christmas Day and Boxing Day, visiting will be opened up between 10:00 and 20:00 to allow visits for those who need to be cared for on our wards. However please ask our patients what is important to them, as they may want to see their family at a different time, which we can also accommodate.

Pictured left to right: Sarah Rothery, Kam Khehra, Anne Wood, Gemma Crowther and Sam Dawson.