Council scheme helping speed up discharges from King's Mill Hospital to continue

The initiative helps speed up discharges for medically fit patients from King's Mill Hospital and also ensures patients have a safe and suitable place to return.

Mansfield District Council's ASSIST Hospital Discharge Scheme works in partnership with King's Mill Hospital Clinical Commissioning Group and Nottinghamshire County Council,

The council's portfolio holder for corporate and finance, councillor Craig Whitby, approved the extension on Friday, April 23.

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It will see the Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust contribute £240,000 and the CCG adding a £60,000 over the next two years.

The council says that it is estimated, “through external independent evaluation,” that ccheme could save £1.4m of public money annually by reducing the days that medically fit in-patients stay in hospital or by preventing avoidable re-admissions.

The council’s head of housing Jill Finnesey, said: "We are very pleased this funding has been agreed for another two years.

"It has been a huge success with many positive outcomes for the hospital and the patients helped by the ASSIST scheme.

"It makes good sense to ensure that patients who can be discharged, are able to leave without delay into suitable accommodation or with the right support and so that the hospital can use their bed for another patient needing urgent medical intervention."

She added: "We help a wide range of people through ASSIST. It could be a homeless person with complex needs or for instance an amputee whose existing home no longer meets their needs.

"What we try to do is make sure that when a person is discharged from hospital, their living conditions are such that it helps to prevent re-admission due to unsuitable accommodation.

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"This includes those who are prone to falls and may have stairs at home. Other people may have mental health needs which require a holistic approach from various agencies as well as practical and financial help.

“Another element of the ASSIST service is Lifeline which provides a 24/7 phone-based monitoring service for vulnerable people living on their own. It is a subscription service.”

Anyone interested in the ASSIST service or the Lifeline service see https://www.mansfield.gov.uk/housing or call 01623 463076.

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