LLESIANT Delta Wellbeing’s blue army is supporting hospital discharge and patient flow in Carmarthenshire, helping to free up much-needed hospital beds.
Delta Wellbeing’s rapid response team supports patients to return home from hospital by providing social care support for a short period of time until re-ablement or long-term providers can be sourced.
The team, along with Delta Wellbeing’s hospital based CWOs, ensure that patients can be discharged at the earliest opportunity by providing essential support to prevent avoidable hospital admissions, free up hospital bed capacity, release valuable staff time, maintain flow and avoid medically fit patients remaining in hospital for longer.
Working closely with Hywel Dda University Health Board, Carmarthenshire County Council, and the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust (WAST), a multi-disciplinary team of different health and care professionals has been set up. Called HomeFirst, it aims to support people through a period of recovery and assessment as close to home as possible.
Delta Wellbeing also provides an emergency response or bridging service to families who are struggling to care for their loved ones whilst they await further assessments, increases in care provision, or just need additional short-term social care support.
If there are any concerns regarding care breakdown, sudden deterioration, crises, or concerns over the level of care required—the 24/7 rapid response team is dispatched to support during this time.
This helps the individual to regain their strength and independence and remain at home for as long as possible to avoid hospital admission.
Since August 2021, the service has supported more than 916 people who would have otherwise remained in hospital for longer despite being medically fit for discharge, or potentially needed to be admitted to hospital without the right care package in place.
These patients are provided with assistive technology, such as lifelines, so they have access to Delta Wellbeing’s 24/7 monitoring and response team.
Sarah Vaughan, Community Response Manager at Delta Wellbeing, said: “Our blue army plays a critical role to avoid hospital admissions by turning patients around at the front door and assisting them to go home safely, as well as facilitating early hospital discharge and supporting patient flow.
“By liaising with our Community Wellbeing Officers, based at Glangwili and Prince Philip hospitals, our responders ensure patients can be discharged at the earliest opportunity, and ensure ongoing care and support needs are met in order to prevent avoidable hospital re-admissions.”
The blue army can provide support in relation to meal deliveries, shopping deliveries, cleaning services, pet services to help care for pets, and transport services to assist with medical appointments.
Delta Wellbeing can help signpost patients to a range of local support services, including strength and balance programmes, benefit checks, and fire service home checks. Advisors can put individuals in touch with befriending services, as well as digital buddies who can teach them how to use computers, iPads, or mobile phones.
It also has access to several local support groups for those with dementia (including Dementia CONNECT), Parkinson’s, strokes, and arthritis, and works closely with the Carers Trust, Mind, Care & Repair Carmarthenshire, and local food banks.
Delta Wellbeing is a Local Authority Trading Company, owned by Carmarthenshire County Council and aims to support the most vulnerable in the community to live independently in their homes for longer, using the latest Technology Enabled Care (TEC) equipment. This pro-active and preventative approach helps identify any possible health and wellbeing issues at the earliest opportunity ensuring the right support is provided to prevent a crisis.
Delta CONNECT is an enhanced lifeline and telecare service, which is available to residents across Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion. It includes wellbeing calls, TEC packages tailored to individuals’ needs, access to the 24/7 community response team, and digital support to help loved ones stay connected.
Visit www.deltawellbeing.org.uk for more information.
