'Southport hospitals focus on getting patients home this Easter'
This Easter, we want to help as many of our inpatients as possible to get home, so they can recover in familiar surroundings, close to family and friends.
Easter traditionally sees an increase in demand for NHS services and people are being asked to ‘do their bit’ to reduce pressures by making sure that loved ones can return home safely once they are fit to leave hospital.
Over the coming days, our inpatient teams will be focusing on getting patients well enough to go home and working with families and carers to ensure that those who can go home are able to do so safely and with the right support in place.
As well as the positives of being home for the holiday period the benefits for patients of continuing recovery at home, in a more familiar and relaxed environment, are well documented.
There are wider benefits for the community as well at a time when the hospitals are facing pressures on patient flow and bed capacities.
Why It Is Important to be home for Easter
Once patients are medically stable, they recover much better and faster at home, especially if they have the right support around them.
The faster patients get back to their own bed the better. Hospitals have lots of interruptions and noises and long-term sleep deprivation can slow down people’s recovery.
Patients are less at risk of infection at home. This is important because when people have been sick, they have reduced resistance to bacteria and infections.
Being in familiar surroundings with support from loved ones is one of the best things for people’s mental health.
Dr Kate Clark, Medical Director at Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust, said: “We always aim to provide the very best care to all of our patients, but we know that when people are well enough to leave hospital, it is best for them to continue their recovery at home or in an appropriate community or care home setting.
“This Easter we know a lot of our patients would rather be at home with their loved ones than in hospital, so if you could provide a bridge to ongoing care by helping to support your relative we would happy to support you in doing this, please contact the nurse in charge to arrange this.”
If you have a family member, a friend or a neighbour in hospital, there are several things you can do to support their discharge from hospital including:
Staying in regular contact with NHS staff so you can make plans for the expected date of discharge
Arranging for suitable clothing and shoes to be available in time for discharge and making time to understand ongoing medication needs
Organising the patient’s transport home where necessary.
Dr Clark added: “It also helps to do little things like popping some milk and food in their fridge, turning on the heating in their home and checking for trip/fall hazards like trailing cables and rugs. All these things can help ease the discharge of patients and get them back in their own homes in time for the Easter holiday. Our dedicated staff will care for patients like they are members of their own family, but there is no place like home.’’
Lesley Neary, Chief Operating Officer at Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust added: “We are working extremely closely with colleagues across the wider health and social care system to ensure we work effectively together to mitigate any potential delays to discharges and the aim of being ‘Home for Easter’ for our patients.
“Nobody wants to spend longer in hospital than they need to, not least around the holiday period, and we know that our patients recover faster if they are in their own homes in a more comfortable and familiar setting.
“If you have a relative or loved one in hospital who is well enough to go home, but is waiting to be discharged with home care and community health support, you may be able to support their safe and timely discharge if you and your family are in a position to support them at home and we would ask people to speak to the ward manager or nurse in charge if this is something they can help with.’’