Launch party opened by Commonwealth diver

Hospital Homecoming Launch Party

Commonwealth diver Gemma McArthur officially opened the launch of a new service which will provide neighbourly care to patients in the first few weeks of their recovery.

Gemma said: “I was pleased to get involved; I think that it is a really good project. It’s a really good service for people to have on offer to them and gives them a better style of life.”

The service Hospital Homecoming is an initiative set up between Communicare, coordinating the project, and the Southampton NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) funding it.

Annie Clewlow said: “Our Homecoming Project is a service to support people in the first few days, or even weeks, when they are discharged from hospital and is specifically for those who would benefit from low-level, good neighbourly care.

“The service is run by us and staffed by our committed, kind-hearted, Communiteers who act as good neighbours; generously providing practical and emotional support.”

Results from a study last year showed that in England 1 in 5 of readmissions happened within 48 hours, which is a concern, and also puts pressure on hospitals to free up beds.

Hannah Silver, Projects Leader of Hospital Homecoming, said: “There are a lot of people going to the NHS for help when people don’t need it and this costs money.

“What these people really need is community support and this is where Communicare can step in and we hope that we will be able to reduce hospital readmissions.”

Annie continued: “We’re ideally looking for those who have time to spare between 9am and 4pm from Monday to Friday, which are the key times for hospital discharges.

“These are also when those that use all our general services require assistance too.”

For enquiries, please email hannah@communicareinsouthampton.org.uk or call 023 8021 6022.