Better support at home for patients leaving hospital

July 4, 2022

A new scheme to help patients leave hospital sooner with better support at home has been launched.

The Southend Enhanced Discharge Service (SEDS) is a therapy-led assessment at home for Southend residents who have been discharged from hospital, but don’t have any support.

This includes patients who may be at risk of falling at home, people with chest infections or those with mobility issues.

The service - run by Southend-on-Sea City Council - has been developed in partnership with Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Southend Hospital, and Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT), which runs community services.

John Walter, head of integrated care for Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, said: “SEDS sees us being able to offer some of our older patients a temporary close level of support with care, occupational therapy and physiotherapy at home once they have left hospital, helping them in the short-term whilst they get their independence back.

“So far, this pilot scheme has supported 20 patients at home, with some no longer needing ongoing care. Others are recovering well and don’t need to be supported by us as much as they were when they first left hospital. The hope now is that we’ll be able to begin to offer this service to even more patients and help them with their transition from hospital to home.”

It is jointly funded by Southend-on-Sea City Council and Southend Clinical Commissioning Group, via the Better Care Fund.

Ryan Cossington-Webb, interim associate director for intermediate care and specialist services at EPUT, said: “The new SEDS provides an opportunity for us to build upon the close working relationships between EPUT, Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust and Southend-on-Sea City Council to ensure that patients are discharged from hospital with the most appropriate support in place.

“This will ensure an approach to support more people to stay and recover at home.”

Cllr Kay Mitchell, cabinet member for adult social care and health integration, said: “The council is very excited to be working with health partners on this innovative pilot to make sure people in Southend get the best support after a hospital stay.

“This service is a collaborative effort as it brings together hospital staff, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, social workers and community workers to collectively support people to get home, and stay home, after a hospital stay.”

SEDS is being piloted from June until September.