Home from hospital support at SDS Forum 

Home from hospital support aims to support those who are fit to discharge but are struggling to get home for various reasons.  

The SDS Forum, working alongside the HSCP and an established working group of patients and carers, is working towards a way for patients to get home quicker. 

Using a small fund, ‘Test for Change’, was created. The pilot allocates team members, alongside social workers, to work with individual patients and offer self-directed support. This enables SDS Forum to get in early with patients and provides flexibility.  

The impact so far 

The pilot will hopefully give people choice and much more control over their own care. The team help patients look at providers which cuts down considerable time and helps give them real informed choice at hospital stage, so they are aware of what support is available. 

SDS Forum can also hold the SDS budget for patients and manage it for them to help with their discharge. They will also help family members get paid as personal assistants which supports both the family member and the patient. 

Giving families options and helping them live their lives the way they wish regardless of the care, helps patients get back in their own homes and the hope is for the scheme to progress and be made permanent.  

Advice for others 

The pace of Health and Social Care is evolving, and organisations should be mindful of service users and keep on top of feedback and what patients need and want.  

Partnership building is so important, and can take a long time to develop, but is essential to the success of programmes like these.  

Finally, look creatively at your own resources and see how you can be sustainable whilst also meeting demand. 

To find out more

To find out more information you can email SDS Forum at: admin@sdsforumer.org or give them a call on 0141 638 2525.