Swift hospital discharge hubs coming to Burnley and East Lancs

The project – a partnership between the NHS and Lancashire County Council – aims to provide a single contact point in each borough to help get patents back home.

It will be rolled out across the authority’s 12 districts including Burnley, Hyndburn, Ribble Valley, Rossendale and Pendle.

The project seeks to establish officers in each of its hospital discharge hubs across the county.

Pilot projects have been underway since December last year in Wyre and Lancaster.

A third officer is planned for Burnley in July to support people being discharged from East Lancashire Hospitals.

It is described as an innovative scheme to support people to return home from hospital or a care setting as quickly as possible where housing or accommodation issues are a barrier.

The aim is to provide quick access to a single point of contact.

A similar scheme is also being launched for the Royal Blackburn Hospital by Blackburn with Darwen Council.

On Monday Burnley Council’s executive meeting confirmed a decision by borough resources boss Cllr Sue Graham agreeing to take part in the county council project.

The approved item said: “The purpose of this report is to seek approval to enter a Memorandum of Understanding with Lancashire County Council for a pilot project relating to hospital discharge.

“It aims to provide a single point of access for people with housing related issues that impact on timely hospital and bed-based intermediate care discharge or may result in unnecessary admission to hospital.”

Cllr Graham Gooch, Lancashire County Council’s adult social care boss, said: “I am very pleased that Lancashire is leading the way in this forward-thinking pilot project.

“It is aimed at removing some of the housing and accommodation-related barriers to people living as independently as possible after they leave hospital or bed-based intermediate care, finding both temporary and more permanent solutions for them which also improve their dignity, mental health and wellbeing.”

Mark Warren, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s director of adults and health, said: “The council has very clear pathways in place to make sure our residents are able to be promptly discharged from hospital into appropriate care.

“We also have a social work team who will very soon be located at Royal Blackburn Hospital who work with NHS and voluntary sector partners to fully support getting people home.

“We work closely with our neighbours across Lancashire, sharing good practice and joining up where appropriate”