ASCLCC009 Discharge Response Team Service

In line with Leicestershire County Council’s (LCC) Adult Social Care (ASC) Strategy 2016-20, this service has been designed to ensure that Service Users get the right level and type of support, at the right time, in order to help prevent, reduce or delay the need for ongoing support and maximise their independence.

The health and care system across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR) is being transformed through the Better Care Together (BCT) partnership. The partnership includes NHS organisations working alongside local authorities and a range of independent, voluntary and community sector providers. The partnership aims to keep more people well and out of hospital; move care closer to home, provide care in a crisis and deliver high quality, specialist care. In the future health and care will be delivered in community settings, with all partners focused on reducing unnecessary admissions to hospitals and care homes, reducing delayed discharges from hospital and providing a much stronger platform of integrated and preventative services.

It is recognised that there is an expanding older persons’ population with increasing health and social care needs which necessitates a new approach to commissioning services, shifting the focus from time and task activities, to the achievement of results through Person Centred planning and flexible service delivery.

The Discharge Response Team (DRT) Service is designed to provide short-term home care services for people who are medically fit for discharge from hospital and have ongoing care or reablement needs in the community. DRT will mobilise quickly with very short notice to provide interim or “bridging” care and support to adults assessed as eligible for care, immediately after discharge from hospital, until their care package is set up and delivery commences.

The DRT Service has been developed and managed in partnership by Leicestershire County Council and University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) to support discharges from hospital and, in addition to home care bridging services, also offers a “Take Home and Settle” service and “Safe and Well” checks for adults leaving hospital, both of which are funded by UHL.