FEATURE The Key To Safe Care With delayed discharge from hospital becoming a growing problem for the NHS,
companies like The Key Safe Company are increasingly developing ways to encourage independent living and reduce the number of beds occupied within hospitals.
The issue of delayed discharge, or bed blocking as it is sometimes known, is an increasingly common challenge within the NHS and across other care providers. Latest figures from the Health Service Journal show that August 2016 saw delayed discharge hit its highest monthly level since data was first collected six years ago, with some 6,448 patients delayed in total.
The serious impact of delayed discharge for the NHS has been further highlighted by latest research from the Office of National Statistics, revealing that the minimum cost of delayed discharge is now totalling a minimum of £800million a year.
Delayed discharge is an issue impacting every region in the UK, not least the South West and Swindon in particular. The city is now one of the fastest growing in the UK, making the issue of providing comprehensive services a growing challenge for Swindon Borough Council.
A VITAL KEY IN THE CHAIN The reasons for delayed discharge are extensive and varied, however one of the recurring themes is the issue of accessibility for carers and other health professionals visiting patients in the community. Part of the process of a hospital discharge plan for crisis care requires a patient to have two nominated key holders who have access to the property if and when required. This brings with it a number of significant issues, with key holders not always available when needed, especially if access is required late at night.
Service providers, like Homeline, are often required to enable patients to live independently within the community. Established in 1987 by Swindon Borough Council, the company is only too aware of the issues surrounding bed blocking.
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Homeline promotes and implements services that enable independent living within the community for both the elderly and vulnerable.
THE PERFECT FIT A relationship between The Key Safe Company and Homeline was established more than a decade ago after Homeline recognised the contribution the products made to its own services.
The Key Safe Company was established in 1995 and now distributes safe and secure home access solutions right across the UK. Key Safes are strong mechanical metal boxes that securely store a spare key inside and provide a convenient way for authorised visitors to enter a property.
Commenting on Homeline’s initial decision to partner with The Key Safe Company, Jack Sharp, Principal Homeline & Telecare Officer at Swindon Borough Council, commented: “It became clear we needed to invest in the best possible solution, providing us with the ability to empower our team to successfully manage the issues faced by our existing and future service users.”
EDUCATION IS KEY Homeline see education as a vital component to encourage health providers and end-users to utilise the solutions, in order to address the issue of delayed discharge and other care issues. To this end, Homeline actively promote the use of Key Safe products, speaking regularly to vulnerable groups directly.
Jack commented: “At Homeline, we are always proactive in promoting and utilising new technologies which enhance the services we provide. With referrals always coming from the discharge team from a health point of view, it is crucial that key workers
are fully aware of options available to enhance care provision.
“Our experience is that no other service provider offers the same level of quality, reliability and range of products as The Key Safe Company. The C500, is used in a variety of applications and to this day is still the most predominately utilised product by the Homeline team.”
FINDING THE RIGHT SOLUTION Whether you are an end-user or service provider, if you think you could benefit from utilising any of the products from The Key Safe Company, speak to a member of it’s dedicated team of experts today. The team can guide you through all the right options for you, ensuring you find the perfect solution and peace of mind.
www.keysafe.co.uk www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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