New ‘Transfer of Care hub’ at Sutton hospital helping get patients home for Christmas

Each day in December there have been an average of 115 who had remained under the care of Sherwood Forest Hospitals each day for over 24 hours after they had been certified by a doctor as being medically fit to leave hospital.

These figures relate to Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust’s King’s Mill, Newark and Mansfield Community hospitals, as well as its Sherwood Community Unit site, a former care home which the trust has converted to care for more patients.

Those challenges are why a multiagency ‘Transfer of Care Hub’ is looking to reduce the time that people are waiting for their onward care, in an effort to get as many patients discharged from hospital to wherever they call home in time for Christmas and New Year.

The new hub, based at King’s Mill in Sutton, opened in October and has already helped to oversee the discharge of hundreds of patients from hospital including Andrew Bellamy, aged 66, from Mansfield, who has been discharged from hospital in time for Christmas after spending four days receiving treatment for flu.

He said: "The staff have been very good. I can't fault them after everything they've done for me but I'm so pleased to be going home in time for Christmas.

“I’m looking forward to being able to enjoy it with my family."

Colleagues from Nottinghamshire Council, Mansfield Council and Nottinghamshire Healthcare are also a vital part of the multiagency team.

Keeley Sheldon, Nottinghamshire Healthcare community health services executive director, said: “It’s fantastic this multi-agency hub is up and running as it’s vitally important patients can be discharged safely from hospital into specialist community services to support their healthcare needs as soon as they are ready.

“Not only will the hub relieve pressure on our busy local hospitals, but we know that when patients are being treated where they call home, it can have a hugely positive impact on their health and wellbeing.

"Hopefully this means we’ll be able to get more people home for Christmas with the right care in place.”