Fire service wins trust award for home-from-hospital partnership service

We have been recognised with a special award for our partnership work in delivering a home-from-hospital scheme to help vulnerable people across Staffordshire.

The CEO award from the University of North Midlands NHS Trust acknowledges the success of the joint project which has helped almost 2,000 elderly patients safely return home from hospital since its inception in 2023.

The scheme, which runs seven days a week, sees specialist fire and health partnership technicians collect patients from Royal Stoke University Hospital and help them return home while also providing a series of fire safety and wellbeing checks with the aim of preventing patients’ re-admission.

Ian Read, Head of Prevent, Protect and Partnerships at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Home-from-hospital is about us working together for the common good, whilst giving us an opportunity to keep people who could be at risk from fire, safe.

“We work directly with UHNM’s Integrated Discharge Hub (IDH), who select patients that would benefit from the service. After collecting patients from hospital, our technicians transport them home and make sure they’re safe, warm and have everything they need. This can include ensuring the water and heating supplies are working, identifying any potential hazards, checking they have food and access to a phone and completing a fire safety check.”

The award, which was presented at a special ceremony at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, on Monday 3 February recognised the service’s ongoing support for patient care in partnership with the Trust.

Dr Simon Constable, Chief Executive of the Trust, said: “Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service has become the first external partner to receive the Chief Executive Award as a symbol of UHNM’s appreciation for everything they do for us and our patients throughout the year.

“Home from Hospital is a hugely successful and impactful patient safety initiative for us that we couldn’t do without.”

Lisa Duncan, integrated discharge lead at UHNM, said: “Staying in hospital longer than necessary can have a negative impact on how well patients recover and can often cause serious harm, impacting adversely on their health and wellbeing.

“Since its launch in December 2023, the home-from-hospital scheme has helped almost 2,000 patients who are well enough to return home and continue their recovery in the comfort of their own surroundings whilst freeing up vital bed spaces at UHNM.”

Deputy Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime Dave Evans said: “It was great to meet the home-from-hospital team recently and hear about the partnership working taking place to support the most vulnerable people in our communities.

“Myself and the Commissioner are keen to see this work continue to strengthen partner relationships and free up valuable health resources.”

For more information about the scheme, and what we do to support our communities, visit: What we do | Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service