H&F resident Gerardo Gallego and his care team
The Hammersmith & Fulham care team that helps residents get back on their feet after medical treatment, has retained its 'Outstanding' rating from the Care Quality Commission for a third successive year.
The dedicated team offers up to six weeks of free personalised care to help residents return to normality after a hospital stay or medical treatment. This is the third year in a row that the Care Quality Commission has given the H&F team its highest accolade.
The team provides the essential service for both H&F and the NHS every day of the year from 8am to 10pm. Last year, we supported more than 500 H&F residents to get back to strength.
Our 39 staff include carers, therapists, physios and coordinators, who all work to rebuild a resident's independence and support their physical and mental wellbeing.
Supporting our NHS
The team facilitates daily discharges from hospital and works to settle residents back into their homes, helping to cut NHS costs and the wait for hospital beds.
Their care includes supporting resident to get up and dressed each morning, as well as restoring confidence in travelling alone.
By delivering care at home the Reablement Team also reduce bed blocking across the borough – this is where patients fit for discharge are unable to leave hospital because the social care they need at home isn't available.
With our support, we can ensure residents who are recently discharged don't end up with further injuries or require unnecessary return visits to hospital. The team also works to prevent hospital admissions.
Retired scaffolder Oliver received three visits a day from the team to help him return to a healthy routine after struggling to cope with an old injury flare up. "They're great people and I really appreciate them," he said.
Residents' feedback
The Care Quality Commission's report summarised the team's popularity, saying that users of the service and their relatives found the team "extremely responsive to their needs and they felt thoroughly supported".
The award-winning team also regularly receives wide praise from residents.
Fulham resident and actor Fiona Curzon received daily visits from reablement staff after breaking her femur in two places. "They were just perfect, they treated you with the exact care and respect that you treat yourself with. They were utterly charming and absolute poppets," she said.
Free home care for all
Home care in H&F has been free to residents since 2014 when we abolished all home care charges. We are still the only council in the country to have done so.
If you'd like to find out more about help at home, or learn about the social care available to adults, visit our help at home page.
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