Pioneering home care service keeping hundreds out of hospital

Some of the Enhanced Night Service team, that are delivering the visionary new service for residents across the borough

A visionary new care service is ensuring hundreds of elderly and vulnerable residents receive care and support in their own homes rather than hospital settings.

Since it began last year, the Enhanced Night Service has prevented around 50 avoidable hospital admissions each month.

The service is run in partnership with Rochdale Borough Council, the Integrated Neighbourhood District Nursing Service, which is led by Bury and Rochdale Care Organisation, and Cherish UK Ltd. It provides a free short-term care and support service for people between 10pm and 7am, seven days a week.

Throughout the night, a dedicated team of staff provide personal care and nursing support for care home residents and people living independently at home.

The initiative complements existing council and NHS services that are already in place across the borough in the day time.

Hundreds of local residents have already benefited from the night service, which is helping to ease the strain on the NHS through reduced admissions, helping people to stay in their own home whenever it is safe to do so.

The evidence shows that people tend to recover quicker in their home environment, without the mental, emotional and physical strain of being admitted into an unfamiliar setting when they feel at their most vulnerable.

Other benefits include supporting early discharges from hospital and ensuring vital hospital beds are freed up through unnecessary re-admission.

Councillor Iftikhar Ahmed, cabinet member for adult care at Rochdale Council, said: “This excellent initiative underlines the excellent care and support services that we provide our residents. It is not only delivering a vital lifeline for elderly and vulnerable people in the night, but also ensuring our stretched NHS beds are freed up for those most in need.

“We are proud that Rochdale is one of the best performing areas in the north for achieving early discharges from hospital and preventing unnecessary hospital admissions. It’s another great example of successful integrated work across the local health partnership, by a first class team of staff.”

Vic Thorne, divisional director of nursing for Bury and Rochdale Care Organisation, said: “The enhanced night service is a perfect example of health and social care integration at its best.

“The District Nursing Service and Cherish work together to support a timely response to individuals across the borough, providing safe and effective care to keep people at home. The enthusiasm and can do attitude of the staff working in the service has been the key to its success, and it is fantastic to see the impact this is having on the health and wellbeing of the people in Rochdale.”

The Enhanced Night Service is a referral service but anyone needing care and support overnight should ring Rochdale Council's adult care emergency number on 0300 303 8875.