About 150 care home beds booked by Nottinghamshire NHS bosses to ease winter pressure in hospitals

NHS bosses are also working with Nottinghamshire Council to pay for extra bed space, “dependent on patient need and demand”.

The idea is part of a winter plan put forward by county healthcare leaders as the NHS plans for what one hospital trust predicts will be a “hugely challenging” period.

The paid bed space will be used as a tool to “support the flow” of patients delayed from their discharge because of a delay in organising care support to look after them in their own homes.

The Integrated Care Board, which controls and monitors all healthcare in Nottinghamshire, has booked 150 beds across several care homes, so patients can be safely moved off wards.

Buying up care home bed space has been done before by the NHS, but this year is part of a wider strategy being put together to tackle a winter many medics expect will see even greater pressures than usual.

Amanda Sullivan, NHS Nottinghamshire chief executive, said: “We know it is going to be a tough winter and are doing all we can across the system with our health and social care partners to put measures in place to help mitigate some of the struggles we know are happening.

“We will do our best to support our colleagues and patients this winter. The delivery of high-quality and safe local health and care services remains one of our top priorities.”

The NHS added all patients being moved into care homes from hospitals will be tested for Covid-19 prior to discharge.

If a patient tests positive, the patient will either remain in hospital until they are negative, or the NHS will work with care providers to implement isolation and infection control measures.

Other measures include a new acute mental health inpatient unit to target “crisis support” and opening up extra beds across the network’s hospitals.

The NHS also plans to create three new discharge ‘hubs’ to increase the number of people able to leave hospitals and reduce pressure and burdens on staff.