CHFT and our partners in Calderdale Council have been working together to develop our Reablement service, with the initial pilot such a success the whole service is now benefiting from the changes.

A pilot scheme started in 2018 to provide an ‘enhanced Reablement’ service. This was where patients being discharged from hospital could access high-intensity therapy from Day 1, alongside any social care. This pilot showed that through close working between health and social care, patients could be discharged from hospital sooner, achieving better outcomes and have less long-term dependency.

In fact, the pilot was so successful, that the model has been adopted for the whole Reablement service. All referrals to Reablement are now discussed jointly between a therapist and Reablement Team leader. They decide if a patient just needs short-term social care, or if they require high or low-intensity therapy alongside social care this. Patients are then given a start date for the service.

In the first month after the changes, waiting times for Reablement were reduced on average by 2.2 days, and there has been positive feedback from our colleagues in the hospital, from CQC and from patients:

“All our Calderdale Reablement referrals have start dates – they are picking up really fast for discharge, within 48 hours of referral it seems.”  Discharge Team, Oct 2019.

“The Reablement team included physiotherapists and occupational therapists. This made sure people received this type of support as soon as they started using the service.” CQC, Oct 2019

“The service met my needs and worked on my goals” Friends and Family Test Feedback, Nov 2019