Blackpool LINk

Blackpool LINk wrote to NHS Blackpool and Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - the concern is that as funding has been withdrawn from Age Concern Blackpool and District, older patients and those with physical difficulties will become more vulnerable when discharged from hospital. Whilst it is fully understood that financial constraints have been put on statutory bodies, please will you provide Blackpool LINk with clairty on what support, financial or otherwise is given to these patients after they have been discharged from hospital.

Response from Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - Many thanks for your letter regarding the Hospital after Care Services. In order to answer your questions I have liased with the Acting Team Manager for the Hospital Discharge Team, as this team are heavily involved with making arrangements for patients to be discharged in a safe and timely manner.

Once a patient is admitted to hospital then their needs are assessed in preperation for their discharge. This could be a referral to the Hospital Discharge Team (including medical social workers) occupational therapy, physiotherapy etc in order to ensure all services and support that is needed are in place ready for the time of the discharge. This could also mean some home visits with the respecitve professionals to ensure a safe enviroment on discharge.

The Hospital Discharge Team and hospital staff refer to Age Concern either with paper referrals or by contacting them by phone with queries or questions in order to ensure patients are accessing the most suitable support post discharge. The team are also referred to numerous other statutory and voluntary agencies to assist with a patients discharge needs, these include housing bodies, Care and Repair, Vitaline, Salvation Army - soup kitchens, hostels and hotels, probation office and RSPCA to name a few.

The Trust is fully supportive of the Hospital after Care service as we see this as a vital support for patients following their discharge. As you will be aware, Age Concern has a holistic approach when supporting clients and aims to maintain independence.

Response from NHS Blackpool - From an NHS Blackpool perspective, we are very supportive of hospital aftercare and see it as part of the re-ablement (supporting people to live independtly after illness and/or hospital care) agenda. NHS Blackpool has not reduced funding for this service, and we are in discussion with Blackpool Council about how future provision can meet demand.