This winter the health and care system is under huge pressure, with rising flu rates and extremely cold temperatures. Our staff are working harder than ever to get people well and back home from hospital.
Every year each region of England receives additional funding from NHS England for extra capacity as the weather turns colder. The borough of Sutton received an additional £900,000 to fund a new community ward at St Helier.
In December, GPs in Sutton partnered with Sutton Health and Care and St Helier Hospital to launch a community ward on site. The initiative brings together community, primary care and the hospital to assess and support patients. The ward provides extra beds for short term medical and therapy care to help people get back on their feet more quickly.
Patients receive GP led support and therapy on the community ward instead of a hospital bed, freeing up capacity for patients in need.
Having our community therapists and rehabilitation assistants on the Sutton Community Ward means we are able to provide intensive therapy before discharge.
Working together we are able to deliver rehabilitation, plan for patients discharge and their ongoing care and therapy needs, ensuring we maximise their independence to safely return to their usual place of residence.
Sara Fenner, Operations Manager, Sutton Health and Care
Sara Fenner, Operations Manager, Sutton Health and Care said, “Having our community therapists and rehabilitation assistants on the Sutton Community Ward means we are able to provide intensive therapy before discharge.”
“Working together we are able to deliver rehabilitation, plan for patients discharge and their ongoing care and therapy needs, ensuring we maximise their independence to safely return to their usual place of residence.”
Day to day, the ward is managed by nurses, therapists and social workers with support from advanced nurse practitioners. The community ward will run until March 2023 and has dedicated areas for lounges and dining, to help with the transition to care outside of hospital.