An Oxfordshire-based programme aiding quick home returns from hospital has demonstrated notable advancement for patients since its introduction in November.

The strategy is known as Discharge to Assess (D2A) and it enables those who have been hospitalised to carry on their recovery at their homes, close to their supporting communities.

The national initiative collaborates with hospital teams from the health, adult social care, therapy, and reablement sectors to ascertain the best way for a patient to exit hospital and receive coherent support at home.

According to Oxfordshire County Council’s director for adult social care, Karen Fuller, there has been a significant change in procedure.

Ms Fuller said: "By working with NHS colleagues we have significantly changed the way we offer support when a patient with additional needs leaves hospital.

"Our social care teams have restructured, working seven days a week to support discharges over the weekend.

"We’ve also significantly redesigned our care provider framework, ensuring that we have capacity in the system to support people on the same day that they return home from hospital."

The programme focuses on the belief that individuals attain better health outcomes when they are aided to live happily and independently in their own homes.

Recent weekly data shows that of 105 people in Oxfordshire, medically fit for hospital discharge but still needing extra care support, 91 were able to continue their recovery at home due to the D2A pathway.

The D2A programme unites health and social care experts to consider which patients can safely return home but who might need extra social care upon arrival.

The patient and their family work with the medical staff to develop the discharge plans.

On returning home, instead of staying in hospital or being transferred to a short stay hub bed while waiting for long-term support, immediate short-term care is offered by the council arranged care provider.

This may range from a drop in visit to overnight care.

Alongside the care provider, a council social worker or occupational therapist is allocated to the patient to make their home safe and comfortable.

A council link worker liaises between the patient, care providers, and social workers.

Long-term support, tailored to individual needs, is assessed within 72 hours of returning home.

This support might involve the home first reablement programme, providing short-term aid, or for some, a longer-term care package may be required.

Dan Leveson, place director for Oxfordshire, said: "This is a significant change in the way people are supported to leave hospital and it’s great to see the initial few weeks are working well.

"By enabling more people to recover from a stay in hospital in their own homes, rather than diverting them to a short stay hub bed or convalescing in a care home, we are supporting people in Oxfordshire to regain their independence more quickly and return to their everyday lives."

To facilitate the programme, Oxfordshire County Council has significantly increased the homecare hours being provided each week by more than 7.5 per cent, to 31,095 hours.

This shows an increase from the 28,885 hours per week last spring and 27,888 in the autumn of 2022.

Due to the programme's success, individuals have reduced their reliance on short stay hub beds, which were initially meant to alleviate hospital discharge pressures.