New service will help people regain their independence after a hospital stay

The service called Wiltshire Support at Home (WSAH) will also work with NHS Rapid Response to help prevent unnecessary admissions to hospital.

WSAH has already been piloted in a number of areas in Wiltshire with good results. People who have benefitted from the care have remarked on how it has helped them to get back to normal routines after their hospital stay.

Now the service will be rolled out across the Wiltshire Council area. It will assist services already provided by health partners and Wiltshire Council Adult Social Care that ensure people can remain in their own homes rather than be admitted to hospital and also provide support for people on discharge.

WSAH will be available to help people with personal care, food preparation, daily living activities and access to local resources and facilities as they start to take the steps towards becoming independent again. The service is jointly funded with the B&NES, Swindon and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BSW CCG).

Cllr Jane Davies, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care said: "Most people look forward to leaving hospital and getting back into their normal routines and familiar surroundings, but it can be a daunting time to adjust to life at home. We have piloted our service and we know this has worked well. We will roll this out across the county so more people can benefit from this service to help them live a comfortable life at home."

Gill May, Director of Nursing and Quality at BSW CCG, said: "While it is absolutely right that people who are acutely unwell should be cared for on a ward, spending more time than necessary in hospital, especially when a doctor has said the patient is well enough to go home, can ultimately have a negative effect on recovery.

"Prolonged hospital stays can lead to preventable health issues, such as muscle loss and pressure sores, which is why this new initiative that will support people to continue their recovery at home is so important."

A friend of one of the people who has benefitted from the pilot service said: ""Whilst visiting a friend at the weekend, I was told about the team of angels who have been visiting him since his discharge from hospital. These angels "talk to me, they are kind, they listen and they are happy people. They make me feel not so useless and give me hope that I will get better. They are angels."

Another person receiving care said: "People like you coming in to see me makes all the difference, especially when people like me can't leave my home to see people. So thank you for doing this very important job."

One granddaughter explained the difference it was making to her gran. She said: "The Wiltshire Support at Home staff are amazing, Gran is really happy with the support being received, she told me they always see how I am and speak to me about my day which makes her feel happy"

WSAH will work alongside the Wiltshire Council Reablement service which also provides support in people's homes with specially trained social care staff, including occupational therapists and reablement support workers. The service is available to adults who normally live independently at home, but who might have lost physical ability or confidence in carrying out their day to day living tasks.

People wanting to find out more about the roles available in the new service can contact recruitment@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window).