We did it our way- ‘If only I had known’ project Charles Potts Implementation Manager (Coventry & Warwickshire) Elizabeth Phillips Chief Executive Age UK Warwickshire

Project aims: Help older people in hospital or those with long term health conditions to make informed decisions about future housing and care support We did it our way- ‘If only I had known’ project

What does the project involve: Getting ‘buy in’ to project from local agencies Being a pathfinder and finding an effective route in to the hospital wards We did it our way- ‘If only I had known’ project

What does the project involve: A ‘Going Home from hospital’ information pack being piloted on selected wards in 8 hospitals across Coventry & Warwickshire Localising information in the pack to reflect regional differences in service delivery across the County We did it our way- ‘If only I had known’ project

Hospital pack in the following hospitals: Coventry UHC 1. Warwick hospital 2. Rugby St. Cross hospital 3. George Eliot hospital in Nuneaton 4. Ellen Badger hospital in Shipston 5. Re-habilitation hospital in L/Spa 6. Woodloes hospital in Warwick 7. Stratford hospital We did it our way- ‘If only I had known’ project

What does the project involve: Age UK or local Care & Repair staff carrying out weekly visits to selected wards in hospitals We did it our way- ‘If only I had known’ project

What does the project involve: Partnership working with Age UK Coventry, local Care & Repair schemes and hospital staff We did it our way- ‘If only I had known’ project

What does the project involve: Tracking hospital re-admission rates (30 days after discharge) for patients on wards where the hospital pack is distributed Gaining consent from patients for Age UK to contact them after discharge from hospital We did it our way- ‘If only I had known’ project

Progress to date Key hospital staff (Discharge Co-ordinators/Social Services) now more aware of services local and national organisations can provide Over 1200 hospital packs distributed referrals taken directly from the wards We did it our way- ‘If only I had known’ project

Key learnings Hospital packs don’t work on their own Face to face advice in conjunction with the hospital pack is the most effective way to help patients Regular visits by information & advice (I&A) staff helps develop positive working relationships with patients and staff We did it our way- ‘If only I had known’ project

Outcomes Two funding streams Coventry-UHC seeking internal funding to continue and possibly expand the existing hospital I&A service from 2-10 wards Warwickshire-development of the Gateway project funded by NHS Warwickshire and Warwickshire County Council We did it our way- ‘If only I had known’ project

Outcomes Gateway flow chart We did it our way- ‘If only I had known’ project