Hospital 2 Home Leicestershire

Lead service provider/commissioner

Name:

Royal Voluntary Service

Type of knowledge

Type of knowledge:

Project description only

Prevention service description

RVS staff and volunteers are embedded in 6 community hospitals and acute trusts and work closely with staff and discharge teams to identify older people on wards who might need support on discharge. These include people who are: living alone; carers; have 2 or more long-term conditions or who lack nearby family or other local support.

RVS staff and volunteers will work with older people to understand their needs before discharge. RVS staff aim to visit people within 48 hours of discharge to do a home assessment. A food hamper is provided so that people have some basic supplies to keep them going. Volunteers will work with older people over 6 weeks to support them with what they have identified they need: this can include shopping, transport to appointments (medical and social) and also companionship . Where possible older people will be matched with volunteers in their local area, so that they are best informed about services and activities close to them. Where older people are living in a co-carer situation, support will be provided to both people, regardless of who has been discharged in individual circumstances.

Intervention/service type:

Support at home

Target client group(s):

Older people; Carers