It’s coming to that time of year again when the phrases “delayed discharge” and “winter pressures” start to creep into everyday vocabulary. In 2015/16 83% of delayed discharges involved people aged 65 plus (NHS Benchmark, 2017).
What may not be known is the reasons for these delays in discharging this particular age group from a hospital setting. 73% of delayed discharges were due to blockages in the social care process.
With respect to staffing levels, Winter is no different to any other time of the year and statutory services continue to be understaffed, social workers don’t leave in December in favour of an x-mas job at Argos. Yet 15% of delays in the year 2015/16 were due to people waiting for assessment, the difference is obvious for anyone that has spent any time on the hospital ward during the winter months. Older adults are more susceptible to illness during these months resulting in hospital admission meaning referrals, in a majority of cases, understaffed social work teams skyrocket.
So how can this be improved, well prevention is the best cure. As a member of the public, you can check on your elderly neighbours, make sure they are keeping warm and not taking an unnecessary risk such as taking the bin out on an icy path. IF you are a professional deputy for someone, then check in on them each week just to make sure they are ok if your not able to then speak to Nellie about our keryworker service and we will pop in every week over December and February to make sure your clients are keeping up with appointments, cupboards are well stocked and the heating is on.
But increased admissions and staffing levels aren’t the whole story. 33% of delayed discharges are due to individuals awaiting a package of care or a care home placement.Whilst !7% of delays are due to a family making choice around care, this could be whether mum/dad comes to live with them, choosing a care home or if they are self-funding having to organise domiciliary care for their loved ones.
For a family member, making decisions about care provision for a loved one with the pressures of professionals trying to free up bed space or move someone from a hospital social work teams list to the community teams list can be difficult at any time of the year. When you throw into the mix the pressures of work and Christmas, it's understandable why families struggle to make decisions quickly.
For self-funders, the responsibility can be placed on them to organise care both at home and residential or nursing care, trying to navigate the social care system can be difficult and without professional support can lead to an unsafe discharge, whereby the individual is discharged without the necessary support in place resulting in them being readmitted, and the whole process starts again. Its one of the reasons Nellie offers a hospital discharge service, supporting families in making these difficult decisions, guiding them through the social care process and ensuring that loved ones are discharged safely reducing the risk of readmission.
Nellie Supports the NHS by working alongside as a catalyst and giving self-funders a choice between statutory social care services and efficient independent social work services, by supporting self-funders and removing them from statutory waiting lists not only are delayed discharge’s reduced but the quality of service can be improved for those receiving statutory services as pressures on staff are lessened.
Comentários