Hamilton launches Enhanced Care at Home service in Ards and North Down

Northern Ireland Health Minister Simon Hamilton has launched a £1million investment package to support the delivery of the Enhanced Care at Home service in the Ards and North Down area.

The £1million investment is coming from the recently launched £30million Transformation Fund which is designed to be invested in projects and initiatives which are focused on innovation, prevention and collaboration within the sector.

The service which has been piloted in the South Eastern area, has been designed to provide, where appropriate, for the assessment and management of acute episodes of specific illness in the an older person’s home with the support of a community Geriatrician, GPs and other health and social care professionals. Patients, their carers and family are all involved with the multi disciplinary team in defining the care required and ensuring the treatment is successful. Since the start of the pilot on 1 September 2015, 125 patients have benefited from the service, which equates to 1,450 saved bed days.

To launch the service the Minister visited the Bangor home of Mr & Mrs Fair who benefited from the pilot service.

The Minister said: “The £1million I am investing in the Enhanced Care at Home service in the South Eastern area, will provide support at home for older people suffering acute episodes of illness. The investment is an endorsement of how successful the pilot of the service was, a service which is also delivered successfully in other parts of Northern Ireland.

“The service will provide better outcomes not only for the patient but also for their carers and wider families. This investment will help provide the service for an up to 20 clients per week.”

The Minister added: “We must continue to make every effort to ensure that the care of older people and the vulnerable in our society is the best it can be. We must coordinate the contributions of providers to deliver reliable, consistently high standards of care and a more joined up service. Today’s launch of the Enhanced Care at Home in the South Eastern area is an example of us working to meet the needs of these people.”

_{Pictured: Health Minister Simon Hamilton with John Fair and nurse Anita Black.}