Health and social care teams in Stockport are making a special effort to get patients ‘Home for Easter.’ That’s the name of a special initiative over the two weeks leading up to the Easter holidays aimed at speeding up the safe flow of patients from the emergency (A&E) department, through the ward and back home.

During this period staff in every ward in the Stepping Hill Hospital will be making special pledges to ensure they will be going ‘all out’ to improve patient flow. These may include pledging to complete all surgical ward rounds by 11am, or booking all patient transport in advance. Teams will trial new ideas during the week, as well as identifying obstacles to improve patient flow through the hospital.

Stepping Hill Hospital, together with other hospitals across the country, has been coming under unprecedented pressure over the winter. Over 1800 patients have been in its A&E each week, and some patients with complex health problems need a lot more help and treatment than others. 15% of patients account for 50% of A&E attendances, and 79% of admissions. This has led to an extremely busy A&E and assessment units, increased length of stay, and patients not being discharged as soon as they could be. ‘Home For Easter’ aims to help tackle these problems.

A similar initiative last year saw improved patient flow at Easter, and the hope is to see similar or greater improvements again this year. And it’s not just in the hospital, health and social care partners in Stockport, from GPs and hospital doctors to community nurses and social workers, will look at better ways of working together. As well as improving the patient experience by getting people home as soon as they are medically ready to leave hospital, this initiative will free up beds quicker for other patients who need them.