PATIENTS at St Cross Hospital now have access to a ‘social prescribing’ service which aims to help them stay healthy, independent and active once discharged.
The Hospital Social Prescribing Service, run by by Age UK Warwickshire, has been commissioned by Warwickshire County Council (WCC) in partnership with South Warwickshire Clinical Commissioning Group (SWCCG) and will offer support to patients at the Barby Road hospital for the next two years.
Social prescribing helps people to access non-medical services to enable them to manage their own physical and mental health better and can encourage them to make lasting changes to their lifestyles so they stay well.
The service has been piloted in Warwickshire over the past three years and received good feedback from patients, their carers, and health and social care professionals.
It has been found to reduce delays in discharge from hospital, reduce the risk of falls when patients leave hospital and the need to access A&E services.
It has also helped improve mental wellbeing and people’s independence, and maximised people’s income by raising their awareness of benefits they might be entitled to, such as attendance allowance.
County health spokesman Coun Les Caborn said: “We want to support vulnerable members of our communities to be healthy and this is another example of how Warwickshire County Council is working with other organisations, such as Age UK, to deliver services that will help our residents to be independent and safe.
“The Hospital Social Prescribing Service is about using a holistic approach to health and wellbeing, offering support to patients and their carers to identify their needs and work towards outcomes that will enable them to be independent, with the overarching aim being that there are discharged from hospital in a safe and timely way.”
The service is provided six days a week and during peak times where there is demand for it.
