Tackling Bed-Blocking

Fife's bed-blocking crisis is being tackled by using more independent care bodies.

An estimated 24 additional patients a month can leave with a home care package through the move.

It's after the council and local NHS put £3 million towards cutting the number of delayed discharges here.

Cllr Tim Brett, a member of the Health and Social Care Partnership, has welcomed the announcement of improvements to the Home Care System in Fife. He said: "As everyone is aware, the number of Fifers whose discharge from hospital has been delayed has risen significantly over the last few months. Following receipt of additional funding from the Scottish Government, Fife Council and NHS Fife, extra services are now being provided in order to get people home, which is very good news.

"This scheme, known as the Test of Change Model for Accessing Home Care, began in Dunfermline and West Fife and is also being provided in Kirkcaldy and Levenmouth, though its implementation in 
Glenrothes and North East Fife has unfortunately been delayed, because a key member of staff is currently on sick leave.

He continued: "Each of the three ICASS (Intermediate Care and Support Services) teams takes on an additional two referrals per week. It is estimated that, based on an accumulating case load over the six week assessment period, this system will allow up to 8 additional cases per month to be dealt with, meaning that an additional 24 patients per month will be able to get home with a home care package, which will facilitate discharge from hospital. I understand that the model has been in operation for five weeks in Dunfermline and West Fife resulting in a number of patients being discharged, as the system settles down and staff become more comfortable with it. In fact we are seeing care packages reduce as service users regain skills and confidence dealing 
with their own personal care.

Cllr Brett said: "the system is a good example of collaborative working between independent providers, NHS staff and the Council to address gaps in service, and cited as an example where a service user had been assessed by the occupational therapist in the ICASS team for a shower stool. The service user required additional time to learn how to shower using the new stool, which the independent provider could not provide but the ICASS occupational therapist agreed to support the person by assisting them for a short period until the provider could provide the resource.

"This is a good example of a pragmatic approach being undertaken by everyone in Fife. Previously, individuals might have had to wait until a service was available from the Council’s own home care team; however as they are working at capacity there was a need to find additional support, which this new approach is now achieving. I very much welcome this and hope that the service can also be rolled out to Glenrothes and North East 
Fife in the near future."