British Red Cross Sutton Home from Hospital Service

This service, commissioned by SWL ICB, works closely with health and social care professionals to identify vulnerable people 65 years and over, registered with a Sutton GP,    who we can help to discharge home safely and quickly and prevent readmission by providing practical and emotional support for up to 4 weeks.

Base: St Helier Hospital

Care Co-ordinators:   Sarah Bamford and Louise Kempshall

Service Contact: SuttonSupport@redcross.org.uk

Address: SHC offices, 5^th Floor Fergusson House, St. Helier Hospital, Wrythe Lane, Carshalton, SM5 1AA

Phone Numbers: 07763 209565 (Sarah Bamford)  07731 810123 (Lou Kempshall)

Service hours: 9am-5pm Monday to Friday (we do not work on Bank Holidays)

About Us: The Home from Hospital service supports clients during their transition from hospital to home. Our goal is to reduce unnecessary hospital readmissions, prevent delayed discharges, and promote recovery and independence at home for vulnerable older adults. We work alongside hospital and community teams to provide both emotional and practical support, to improve patient wellbeing and flow through the health system.

The Service Offer:  

We promote Safe and Timely Discharges* by:

·       Conducting home welfare checks and hazard reporting.

·       Topping up gas and electric meters for safe discharges.

·       Delivering and installing certain pieces of equipment at the client’s home if no other service can accommodate (please call to discuss).

·       Attending deliveries of medical equipment (e.g. hospital bed, OT equipment).

·       Giving access for pendant alarm and key safe installations, pest control and deep/blitz cleans.

·       Purchasing and delivering of essential items and white goods (e.g. bedding, microwaves, fridge), and key cutting.

·       Helping people settle back home upon their discharge (e.g. emergency food shopping, welfare check).

* Time and Manpower allowing

We provide practical and emotional support for up to 4-weeks to promote independence and avoid unnecessary readmissions by:

·       Developing a person-centred support plan with the client, focused on agreed goals and actions that promote independence and ensure safety.

·       Assisting with shopping for four weeks and supporting with the use of on-line/telephone shopping services for longer-term, or putting the client in touch with a shopping provider.

·       Offering telephone-based ‘welfare check in and chat’ and befriending visits.

·       Collecting Prescriptions.

·       Onward referrals for assistance with paperwork and benefits check.

·       Supporting clients in exploring further options by signposting them and their loved ones to appropriate agencies, (e.g. cleaning services, pendant alarm providers, transport services, wheelchair hire).

·       Liaising with and referring clients to other services, including primary and community care services, voluntary services and mental health services.

·       Accompanying to and from outpatient and GP appointments, if there is no other option and we are able to accommodate this task. 

Referral Criteria

We support individuals who are:

• Aged 65+
•   Registered with a Sutton GP
• Medically fit for discharge from hospital, or recently discharged from hospital (within the last 6 weeks)
•   At risk of delayed discharge, hospital readmission or reduced independence at home

Referral can be done  by emailing SuttonSupport@redcross.org.uk , and sending through a completed JAF, D2A form or Support at Home referral form. The referral form can be accessed here: Support at Home-Referral Form (Please print it off to complete). 

If you have any questions, or wish to discuss someone outside of our usual age range, please call and speak to Sarah or Lou. 

Upon receiving the referral, we schedule an assessment with the client, usually at home, as soon as possible, based on their wishes, needs and service capacity.