Extra staff will make King's Mill emergency department more efficient

The Mid Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) proposed to have additional social care workers available seven days a week to give advice or carry out assessment and support planning.

As a result, 1.5 social worker posts have been approved by the county council for 12 months, which will be funded by money given to the ICP by the NHS to focus on transforming local services.

Councillor Tony Harper, chair of the county council’s adult social care and public health committee, said: “Some patients attending the emergency department have a range of complex needs and the clinicians need to take advice from our hospital social care teams to make a decision about whether they should be admitted to hospital or whether it is safe for them to return home.

“Our staff can carry out an assessment of someone’s needs and find out whether they have support at home to be discharged safely or whether other support needs to be put in place.

“This extra capacity in the emergency department may prevent someone being admitted to hospital unnecessarily, which is better for the person and also frees up hospital space for someone else who may need it.”

The additional 1.5 social worker posts will be in addition to the existing social care team based at Kings Mill Hospital.