Home First has been designed to ensure hospital-based teams can work closely with colleagues in the community and in social care to plan for an individual to return home as quickly as possible once medically stable.
Some people may not need any help when they get home, but for those who do, Home First teams are triggered into action on discharge to make sure the right support is in place from the outset.
What does the Home First team do?
People are seen at home within hours and receive an assessment. Every individual has a personal care plan and this may include therapy, goals, support for carers, any equipment they may need and self-help advice. Our caregivers provide social care assistance and work with NHS and nursing colleagues to ensure you have everything you need and avoid subsequent admission to hospital.
What if an individual needs more support before going home?
When you are really sick, hospital is the best place you can be, but once you no longer need hospital care, you recover much faster at home.
The longer someone spends in a hospital bed, the more muscle they lose and the weaker they can become, which makes it harder for them to regain their independence. For individuals who need short-term support or potentially immediate assistance to support a safe discharge from hospital pending home care or a new assessment of need, Home First is here to help.
We work closely with our acute hospital and community NHS colleagues and GP’s to facilitate timely and safe discharges.
How to access this service
You will normally be referred to our service by your local authority or a health professional. Where you intend to pay for care yourself, you can contact our team on 020 8464 8811 or via e-mail at care.vna12@nhs.net to discuss your needs.