Wirral Transfer of Care Hub

A new Transfer of Care hub at Wirral University Teaching Hospital is ensuring patients who no longer need to be in hospital are back home as soon as they are well.

Since the hub was set up in July this year, the number of people in hospital beds waiting to go home or into community care placements has reduced to less than 100 a day, from a peak of 250 earlier in the year.  This has been recognised regionally and nationally and the Trust has been commended for its innovative development.

This has helped to free up around 150 more beds at the Trust’s Arrowe Park and Clatterbridge Hospitals for patients who really need them, such as those requiring urgent and emergency care.

The hub enables our multidisciplinary teams to find the best and quickest discharge options for patients who are medically fit enough to leave the hospital by working with other teams across the NHS, social care, housing and voluntary services in Wirral.

Janelle Holmes, Chief Executive, who has led on the Transfer of Care hub development, said: “We know that discharging patients as soon as they are medically fit to go home greatly improves their health outcomes.

That is why we have been working so hard with our partner organisations to reduce the length of stay for our patients who no longer need to be in hospital and prevent any delays in them returning home or back into the community. This is especially important as we head into winter when there is increased illness in the community and more demand for hospital beds.”

Discharging people as soon as they are fit and well is vital, as prolonged stays in hospital are bad for patients, especially for those who are frail or elderly. Spending a long time in hospital can lead to an increased risk of falling, sleep deprivation or catching infections.

Members of the public can also help ensure NHS services are available for those who most need them this winter by ensuring they access the right care for their needs. If it’s not an emergency, people are asked to contact 111, visit a GP, an Urgent Treatment Centre, Walk-in Centre or pharmacy.

People can also ensure they are taking care of their own health by having their flu and COVID-19 vaccinations, keeping warm in the winter months and ensuring they order all their medications in good time. It’s also important for people to look out for vulnerable family members and neighbours during the colder months.

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