Northumbria hospital trust begins home care to free up beds

A health trust is launching its own home care service to free up hospital beds and ease pressure on staffing.

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust told councillors a lack of local authority care meant patients had to wait in hospital rather than go home.

The new service, to operate in Northumberland and North Tyneside, would provide 250 jobs across the two authorities, the trust said.

It would "deliver high-quality care and make carers feel valued", it added.

So-called "bed blocking" is a major issue across England with hospitals unable to discharge patients due to a lack of support in their homes.

As a result, many stay in hospital longer than necessary, occupying beds needed for other patients who then have to wait for admission.

Feeling undervalued

Speaking to Northumberland County Council's health and wellbeing committee, the trust's operational services manager of home care and care homes, Gillian Finn, said the new service would "provide capacity for the sector".

She said: "Across both local authority areas there is a substantial number of care hours not being met.

"People are often waiting in hospital and this can reduce the opportunity to return home."

There will be 10 teams of 25 carers across Northumberland and North Tyneside, based on the existing primary care network, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The service will begin operating in the area with the most need, currently west Northumberland.

The trust hopes to attract carers who have left the industry due to feeling undervalued as well as others new to the sector.