1. Red Bag documentation stays with the patient at the Care Home
In partnership with:
Developed from a successful NHS Vanguard model, the red bag scheme has been designed to support local care homes and their residents. This initiative is focusing on elderly residents in care homes who are transferred to A&E at the James Paget University Hospital and returning to their care home.
The Red bag contains standardised paperwork, medication and personal belongings, and it stays with the care home resident from the time they leave the home to go into hospital until the time they return to their care home at the end of their hospital stay.
The Red Bag scheme is one element of a wider Care Home support package delivered across Great Yarmouth and Waveney System Partners.
Red Bag documentation stays with the patient at the Care Home
Care Home staff refer to Red Bag documentation for who to contact in an Emergency
Ambulance crew take the bag with documentation and personal belongings with the patient to hospital
Hospital staff update any relevant documentation during the patient’s stay
Red bag returns with the patient to the Care Home and is kept updated by care home staff and health professionals
Personal Belongings Standardised Paperwork
Clothes Transfer of Patient Care Form Yellow Folder
Toiletries Checklist
Personal Aids MAR Sheet
Medications DNAR
Geriatric assessment
‘Share my Care’ or ‘this is me’ document if used
Standard Contents
Which Care Homes?
Having successfully piloted the scheme in 10 homes, James Paget, Great Yarmouth & Waveney CCG and partners are now supporting more local homes to be involved. This is part of a systemwide programme to encourage and support local care homes across Norfolk and Waveney to benefit from being involved in the Red Bag scheme.
Phase Two Care Homes

2. Quick Guide to the Red Bag Scheme
Care Home Staff
When an ambulance is called for a resident, the care home staff will ensure that all the correct paperwork is completed and included in the red bag. A photocopy of a DNACPR document, if present, is acceptable in an emergency. They will also ensure that the bag includes any medication (subject to current guidelines), the person is taking together with the personal belongings, including clothes, that they will need in hospital.
When the ambulance arrives they will make sure that the ambulance personnel take the red bag and know what they are to do with it. If the ambulance staff are unsure, the care home staff will explain.
The care home staff will complete the red bag checklist, add it to the Red Bag before handing the bag over to the ambulance staff.
If the patient is expected to be in hospital for more than 24 hours, the Trusted Assessment Facilitator will be informed and will visit the resident within 48 hours of admittance and discuss their care and future discharge with the hospital staff and care home.
If discharge is expected within 24 hours, then the hospital can discharge back to the Care Home without reassessment. The care home will be contacted and notified of this decision and the arrangements for transferring the patient.
Hospital staff: discharge
Hospital staff can identify the patient as a care home resident by the presence of the red bag, allowing them to consider an earlier discharge.
The discharge should be discussed fully with the care home manager or a representative which may be a Trusted Assessment Facilitator, to ensure that the care home is prepared for the discharge.
When the patient is ready for discharge, a ward nurse will pack the red bag, ensuring that all the correct paperwork is completed and included.
They will also ensure that the bag contains any medication (TTOs) prescribed by the hospital with clear instructions for care home staff, together with all the personal belongings that came in with the patient.
The hospital staff will complete the red bag checklist, ensuring full discharge information and MAC is included, and hand it to the ambulance/patient transport staff.
Ambulance /Patient transport staff
The ambulance / patient transport staff will receive the red bag from the hospital staff and ensure that it stays with the patient at all times.
On arrival at the care home, they will hand over the red bag to the care home staff.
Ambulance Staff
On arriving at the care home, the ambulance staff will receive the red bag from the care home staff.
On arriving at the hospital, ambulance staff will pass on the red bag to the hospital staff, and discuss any issues arising, ensuring that the hospital staff are aware that the red bag must stay with the patient at all times..
Care home staff
When the resident returns from hospital , the care home staff will ensure that the red bag is with the resident and contains all the correct paperwork, medication and personal belongings.
If anything is missing they should contact the ward that the patient was discharged from.
Care home staff should clean the bag in accordance with the agreed infection control protocol so that it is ready for the next resident.
Hospital staff: arrival at hospital and stay on ward
When advised by ambulance staff that a patient is a care home resident, hospital staff will ensure that the red bag is present and complete and refer to the enclosed paperwork for up-to-date information about the patient.
Once this paperwork has been reviewed the folder holding the paperwork will be placed inside the bag which will remain closed at all times.
Staff will ensure that the red bag remains with the patient at all times , keeping it with them in A&E and ensuring that it is placed in their locker or by their bed if they are transferred onto a ward.
Staff will inform the Trusted Assessment Facilitators of any ward changes.
Staff will ensure that the care home know which clinical area is caring for their resident by making telephone contact with the home.
Ward staff will ensure that there is a sticker of the red bag placed on the front of the patient’s notes so that all staff are aware they are a care home resident with a Red Bag.
Key Points
The red bag must stay with the resident at all times from when they leave the care home until they return.
Patient documentation must be kept securely in the red bag at all times.
Staff should complete the red bag checklist at all stages set out above.
If a bag is lost or stolen, or if the patients dies, please contact Suzanne Frary
In partnership with:

3. Red Bag - Quick Guide for Care Home Staff
When a resident is in need of medical attention, consult and complete the SBAR Escalation Record to ensure the right level of assistance is requested.
When an ambulance is called the following need to be completed/collected and placed in the Red Bag:
Record the issue of the bag on the Red Bag Log.
Personal Belongings Standardised Paperwork
Clothes Transfer of Patient Care Form
Personal Aids Yellow Folder
Toiletries Checklist
Personal Aids MAR Sheet
Medications DNAR
Geriatric assessment
‘Share my Care’ or ‘this is me’ document if used
Following contact from the James Paget, a senior member of the Care Home team will visit the patient in hospital within 48 hours of admission to discuss discharge and future care needs.
The resident will return home with their red bag and staff will need to ensure that all the relevant documentation and personal belongings are contained within it.
If anything is missing, please contact the discharging ward. The bag then needs to be emptied and cleaned according to the agreed infection control protocol (see flowchart) ready for the next resident.
The patient’s paperwork should be kept with the resident’s care notes and the return of the bag logged in the Red Bag Log.

4. Red Bag documentation stays with the patient at the Care Home
Red Bag - Quick Guide for Hospital Staff
When advised by ambulance staff that a patient is a care home resident, hospital staff will ensure that the red bag is present and complete and refer to the enclosed paperwork for up-to-date information about the patient.
Once this paperwork has been reviewed the folder holding the paperwork will be placed inside the bag which will remain closed at all times.
They will ensure that the red bag remains with the patient at all times , keeping it with them in A&E and ensuring that it is placed in their locker or by their bed if they are transferred onto a ward.
Staff will ensure that the care home know which clinical area is caring for their resident by making telephone contact with the home.
Ward staff will ensure that there is a sticker of the red bag placed on the front of the patient’s notes so that all staff are aware they are a care home resident with a Red Bag.
Hospital staff can identify the patient as a care home resident by the
presence of the red bag, allowing them to consider an earlier discharge.
The discharge should be discussed fully with the care home manager or a representative to ensure that the care home is prepared for the discharge.
When the patient is ready for discharge, a ward nurse will pack the red bag, ensuring that all the correct paperwork is completed and included.
They will also ensure that the bag contains any (TTOs) prescribed by the hospital with clear instructions for care home staff. Together with all the personal belongings that came in with the patient.
The hospital staff will complete the red bag checklist and hand it to the ambulance/patient transport staff.
Personal Belongings Standardised Paperwork
Clothes
Toiletries Checklist
Personal Aids MAR Sheet
‘Share my Care’ or ‘this is me’ booklet
Catheter Passport
Medications/To take out medication
Standard Contents
Red Bag documentation stays with the patient at the Care Home
Care Home staff refer to Red Bag documentation for who to contact in an Emergency
Ambulance crew take the bag with documentation and personal belongings with the patient to hospital
Hospital staff update any relevant documentation during the patient’s stay
Red bag returns with the patient to the Care Home and is kept updated by care home staff and health professionals
Having successfully piloted the scheme in 10 homes, JPUH, Great Yarmouth & Waveney CCG and partners are now encouraging more local homes to be involved.
Phase Two Care Homes
In partnership with:

5. Discharge Information
This Patient Has a Red Bag
Discharge Information
Doctors
Ensure that the discharge summary is complete and printed prior to the patient leaving the hospital.
Nurses
Ensure all contents that the patient with are returned to the bag( see checklist)
Ensure the hospital discharge summary is in the bag
Ensure all To Take Out Medications (TTOs) are in the bag
Ensure any nursing information is documented and included
Complete the Red Bag return checklist and place it in the red bag.
Personal Belongings Standardised Paperwork
Clothes Original DNACPR (keep photocopy)
Toiletries Transfer of Care document
Personal Aids MAR Chart
Checklist
‘Share my Care’ or ‘this is me’ booklet
Medications/Take out medicines
Standard Contents
In partnership with:

6. Cleaning Instructions for the Red Bag - Upon Arrival at the Hospital
On arrival at the Hospital contents should be checked and recorded on the Checklist form.
Leave contents in the bag and take out when required
Is there any evidence of contamination with blood or body fluids?
Clean if required
Clean thoroughly with warm water and detergent to remove the visible soiling and then wipe with a freshly prepared solution of a chorine-releasing agent e.g. bleach. (concentration of 10,000 ppm of available chlorine)
YES NO
Place the clean bag, with all its documents in a safe area by the patients bed on display
Each time the bag is cleaned it should be examined for any damage e.g. rips/tears. All damage should be reported to?.
Add – In the Case of Death:
Ward Staff to clean the bag
Return to Discharge Hub who will arrange for Red Bag to be returned to home or re-assigned to another home.
Add – In cases of C-Diff / Infection, Ward Staff to clean the bag inside and out before returning to the patient to take back to the Care Home
In partnership with:

7. Is there any evidence of contamination with blood or body fluids?
Cleaning Instructions for the Red Bag - Upon Return to the Care Home
On arrival at the Care Home the bag should be unpacked and all documents should be removed
Is there any evidence of contamination with blood or body fluids?
Clean inside and out thoroughly with warm water and detergent using a disposable cloth. Dry thoroughly with paper towels
Clean thoroughly with warm water and detergent to remove the visible soiling and then wipe with a freshly prepared solution of a chorine-releasing agent e.g. bleach. (concentration of 10,000 ppm of available chlorine)
YES NO
Each time the bag is cleaned it should be examined for any damage e.g. rips/tears. All damage should be reported to the Manager.
The bag should now be put in a storage area for the next patient who may need it
If the Red Bag is damaged please contact Suzanne Frary /3547
In partnership with:

8. Important contacts
For more information about how to join the Red Bag scheme, training or further support, please
For queries relating to discharge, including the transfer of care document, please contact the ward your resident was discharged from. Please use the main hospital number if the ward telephone number is not present on any documentation.
For queries relating to medication, please call the Hospital Pharmacy on If Pharmacy is required out of hours, please call the main hospital number and ask for the Site Coordinator.