Service for freeing up North West Surrey hospital beds could be extended
Last updated 28th Nov 2021
A service freeing up hospital beds in North West Surrey may continue for another year after the lead council approved its extension.
Since April this year, the Step Down service has been providing short-term accommodation for people being discharged from hospital who require support before they can return home.
Spelthorne Borough Council is hoping the North West Surrey Health and Care Alliance will commission Step Down for another year, up to the end of March 2023, after it was hailed a great success at yesterday’s (November 23) community wellbeing and housing committee.
Councillor Sue Doran (Lab, Stanwell North) said: “I think this is a vital part of joint working together.
“For as long as I’ve been in nursing and that goes back to the 80s, without covid, it was always the problem that you couldn’t get people out of hospital and for every one wanting to go home there was six coming in sort of thing.”
Step Down is offered in seven properties across Spelthorne, Runnymede, Elmbridge and Woking, where people are supported for an average of 38 days.
It has helped to take pressure off St Peter’s and Frimley Park hospitals as well as Walton and Woking community hospitals.
The service has helped 27 patients leaving hospital so far and it is expected to have assisted up to 60 by the end of its first year.
Some need rehab while others may need to resolve issues of no electricity or hot water at home.
Committee chair Sandra Dunn (LD, Halliford and Sunbury West) said: “I think it’s an excellent scheme and I’m also pleased it doesn’t actually cost Spelthorne anything.
“To think that we’ve been able to help that amount of people over time to almost convalesce between hospital and going home, it’s a wonderful achievement.”
Karen Sinclair, Spelthorne’s joint head of community wellbeing, said the integrated care partnership had provided £300,000 for the scheme’s first year and she expected next year’s costs to be around £235,000.
Councillor Sati Buttar (Con, Ashford North and Stanwell South) added: “This is the way forward.”