Leaving hospital: Food and support packs for patients

The service includes meals, phone calls and further signposting

A community scheme has been launched to support people returning home after being discharged from hospital.

The Somerset Community Wellbeing Hub has secured £16,000 to provide HELP packs.

The service offers nine free meals, regular calls to check how the person is doing and further signposting.

Edward Tooze, 83, used the scheme after leaving hospital and said: "I don't know what I would have done without it."

The Somerset Community Wellbeing Hub is a collaboration between Bath and North East Somerset Council, HCRG Care Group (formerly Virgin Care) and charities.

The group said the packs will also be offered to patients who are well enough to avoid hospital admission, between January and March.

Mr Tooze said he couldn't get to the shops to buy food while he recovered at home

Mr Tooze spent five nights in hospital and returned home to recover from his broken leg.

"I tried doing my own shopping, which I can't go out and do with my leg. I can't do anything," he said.

"They gave me a pack of wonderful food to help me get over my illness.

"I don't know what I would have done [without it].

"It's always nice to come home to be in your own place and get back into your routine."

Mr Allen said he hopes the packs "make life easier" for people

Age UK Bath and North East Somerset chief executive officer Simon Allen said: "Any visit to hospital is an intense time.

"What we wanted to do was to put together some packs to get the basics together so that people had some good nutritious food and had all of the paraphernalia that would make life easier for the next couple of days."

Mr Sethi said the scheme alleviates pressure on hospitals

Royal United Hospitals Bath chief operating officer Simon Sethi said the scheme alleviates pressure on hospitals

"In the year ahead, we want to set up more services where we can try and help people to get home sooner."

Ms Born said the council will continue the project if it "continues to be successful"

Bath and North East Somerset Council cabinet member for adults Alison Born said she hopes the initiative "continues to be successful".

"The feedback we've had is really positive," she said.

"If that continues it's relatively low cost, it would seem a bit of a no-brainer that we should try and find a way to carrying it on."