Social care pioneers win top honour
APIONEERING health project which allows reduces ‘bed-blocking’ by allowing patients to be cared for in their own homes has won a top award.
The ‘intermediate tier service’ run by Rochdale council and the NHS scooped the Health and Social Care gong at the Local Government Chronicle Awards.
Judges commended the service, which was launched nearly 18 months ago, for offering tailored support for people’s health and care needs.
The service has helped Rochdale buck the national trend and reduce the number of delayed discharges from hospital.
In the last 12 months 2,000 local residents have been cared for at home and in community beds under the service.
Coun Iftikhar Ahmed, cabinet member for adult services, said: “The award is a fantastic achievement and testament to the dedicated work of hard working staff that provide dedicated care and support day in day out. Our intermediate tier service is a Rochdale success story to be proud of and I would like to congratulate everyone who works so tirelessly to deliver this pioneering policy.”
Dr Shona McCallum, lead consultant for the service said: “This award is a fantastic endorsement of an exciting and innovative integrated model which is able to support more people to regain independent living, through a period of short term care, in either their own homes or in one of the community intermediate care beds.
“This can be either as a step up from community based services or as a step down from hospital or urgent care.”
Sally McIvor, joint director of integrated commissioning for the council and HMR CCG, said: “We are really pleased to have been part of this partnership and receiving this award is testament to the solid joint working in Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale.
“We are extremely proud of the amazing results it is achieving and how this benefits our patients and our integrated working within the borough.”