Lancashire quicker hospital discharge scheme extended

A project to help patients discharged from hospital get back home more quickly has been launched across Lancashire

A scheme to get discharged hospital patients home more quickly is being extended across Lancashire.

The NHS and Lancashire County Council project hopes providing a single contact point in each borough will facilitate quicker returns home.

It will be rolled out across the authority's 12 districts including Burnley, Hyndburn, Ribble Valley, Rossendale and Pendle.

The project aims to place officers in each of its hospital discharge hubs.

The scheme will support people especially where housing or accommodation issues are a barrier.

Pilot projects have been under way since December 2021 in Wyre and Lancaster, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

A third officer is planned for Burnley in July to support people being discharged from East Lancashire Hospitals.

A similar scheme was also being launched for the Royal Blackburn Hospital by Blackburn with Darwen Council.

On Monday, Burnley Council's executive meeting confirmed a decision agreeing to take part in the county council project.

Graham Gooch, Lancashire County Council's adult social care boss, said: "It is aimed at removing some of the housing and accommodation-related barriers to people living as independently as possible after they leave hospital or bed-based intermediate care."

He added that finding both temporary and more permanent solutions for discharged patients would also "improve their dignity, mental health and wellbeing."

Mark Warren, Blackburn with Darwen Council's director of adults and health, said: "The council has very clear pathways in place to make sure our residents are able to be promptly discharged from hospital into appropriate care.

"We also have a social work team who will very soon be located at Royal Blackburn Hospital who work with NHS and voluntary sector partners to fully support getting people home."

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