Royal Cornwall Hospital: Care plan change aims to ease bed-blocking

Nearly 130 beds are occupied by patients who have finished treatment

A home assessment programme is being introduced for Royal Cornwall Hospital patients in an attempt to ease bed-blocking.

It means care packages will be created after patients are discharged instead of while they are in hospital.

Nearly 130 beds are occupied by patients who have finished treatment and are waiting to go elsewhere, said chief executive Steve Williamson.

Patients would only be discharged if medically fit, he added.

Trust chief executive Steve Williamson said the change could ease ambulance delays

He said hospitals were sometimes a "really distressing environment" to make care decisions.

Sending people home "can have a better outcome than spending weeks and weeks in hospital", Mr Williamson said.

The plan had "huge potential" to ease pressure on beds, he said.

Mr Williamson said: "Nearly 130 beds are occupied by patients who have finished their medical treatment in hospital waiting to go elsewhere.

"Nearly 40 of those patients will be waiting to go home with a package of care.

"It doesn't address everything but it's a really important step if we are able to progress that.

"One of the key things that leads to ambulance delays is not having enough beds in hospital to rapidly move patients through."

Andy Virr, head of adult social care at Cornwall Council, said: "After a period of rehabilitation an assessment will be made and hopefully they will have regained some of that independence.

"They will be back in their own home and can perhaps be supported by neighbours or adult social care if it's needed."

Listen to Mr Virr speaking to BBC Radio Cornwall about the move to assessing hospital patients at home rather than on the ward.