Here's what is being done to help cut waiting times at Blackpool hospitals

Blackpool's 24-hour Vitaline Service is helping reduce pressure on hospital wards by ensuring people can return more quickly to their own homes.

The lifeline, which monitors vulnerable people through the use of call buttons and sensors, has established a same-day installation service aimed at patients being discharged from hospital.

A report to the council's adult social care and health committee says the scheme prevents delays in people being allowed home.

It says: "The Vitaline service also developed a ‘same day installation’ response with a focus on supporting hospital discharges, thus ensuring individuals were discharged home on the same day as the discharge decision was made."

During the busy winter period, between November 2021 and March 2022 Vitaline enabled a total of 127 same day hospital discharges, freeing up the same amount of beds.

The report adds: "The 127 hospital discharges supported ensured that individuals did not need to remain in hospital for a further 24 to 48 hours whilst waiting for equipment to be installed."

Reducing delays in discharging patients is considered key to improving hospital flow, enabling quicker admissions for those waiting for a bed.

A new hub made up of health and social care staff is also successfully helping to discharge patients who need support in their own homes.

The Transfer of Care Hub includes a ward where patients ready for discharge can be moved to free up acute beds, while they await appropriate support packages to be put in place.

The ARC residential intermediate care centre on Clifton Avenue in Marton was also used to support the discharge of 140 Covid positive patients from hospital between November 2021 and March 2022.

The report says: "This level of support from The ARC ensured that individuals did not need to remain in hospital for any longer than they needed to.

"Some individuals required short term care until a care home placement or care at home was available and others required a longer stay for rehabilitation before returning home."