Healthy & Home: Embedding the VCFSE in Hospital Discharge

A new video telling the story and achievements of the Warrington and Halton “Healthy & Home” has been produced, highlighting the difference the project has made in people’s lives and the important role of the VCFSE sector within hospital discharge services.

Delivered by Warrington Voluntary Action and Halton & St Helens VCA, Healthy & Home is a two year project funded by NHS Charities Together in collaboration with Warrington and Halton Hospital Trust. The model ensures that  VCFSE organisations are fully involved in the discharge process as  valued and trusted partners. The service is coordinated through VCFSE hospital discharge link workers based within the hospitals discharge hub,  assisting with  arranged packages of support for patients going home, from simple practical tasks to complex specialised support.

The model provides VCFSE support at the right time, with support in place for timely hospital discharges and upon arriving home to enable people to live more independent in their own homes and reduce the likelihood of readmission.

Healthy & Home has recorded some significant outcomes including:

·       Within a 12 month “snapshot”, 76% of people referred to Healthy & Home did not re-appear in A&E

·       Potential cost savings of between £145,520 (Based on each individual having one visit to an urgent care centre with minimal investigation) and £1.3 million (Based on each individual requiring an ambulance to A&E on one occasion, with complex investigations upon arrival).

·       In one case alone, a saving of £72,000 (equal to the cost of 2 VCFSE Link workers for 12 months) was made when a Healthy and Home personal care plan for a patient was delivered via VCFSE Link workers.

The Healthy & Home project in Warrington and Halton has highlighted how multi-agency work with the VCFSE sector can be transformed to deliver positive outcomes for communities, improve quality of life, reduce lengthy hospital stays and prevent re-admission. Similar projects across the North West are also reporting positive outcomes, such as Cumbria CVS’s “Third Sector Referral Co-ordinator  Team” delivered in partnership with VCFSE organisations in the region.

The success of these models clearly highlight the benefits of the VCFSE sector being equitable partners within the design and delivery of health and care services and working together to make the best use of resources at a regional and place-based level, as well as providing quality care to services users.