Health and social care organisations in Stockport are contributing to ‘Home for Easter Week’, a special initiative aimed at speeding up the safe flow of patients from the emergency (A&E) department, through the ward and back home.
During this week, which runs from Wednesday 5th to Tuesday 11th April, every ward in the hospital will have extra help to sort the issues which lead to delays. Non clinical staff will be taking time from their usual job to take the role of ‘ward liaison officer’.
The initiative, which has been tried and tested in other hospitals across the country, aims to create energy for change by doing things differently. 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.
Teams will trial new ideas during the week, as well as identify obstacles to improve patient flow through the hospital. Every service team has made a pledge for the week, with the plan to continue with these for long term patient improvements. Pledges range from completing all surgical ward rounds by 11am, to booking all patient transport in advance.
Stepping Hill, together with other hospitals across the country, has been under major pressure with significant increases in the demand for hospital care. 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.