New intermediate care bedded unit helping hospital patients return home independently

A new intermediate care bed facility in South Cumbria is making a huge difference in helping people return home sooner following a hospital stay.

The intermediate care bed facility, hosted by Parkview Gardens residential home in Barrow, provides a place for people who no longer need specialist hospital care, but still require support, to regain their independence in a residential setting before returning home.

The service offers embedded therapy support to mobilise patients out of their bed and improve mobility to aid and improve their transition back to their independent place of residence and prevent further emergency admissions.

Since opening in August 2024, the facility has seen around 30 citizens come through the new service with half of these now returned to their own home following a period of supported rehabilitation.

A second phase is due to open this month (October), extending the number of Intermediate Care beds. The service will also provide several planned respite beds for short-term support, which will afford full time carers an opportunity a break from their caring responsibilities. Once all beds are open the service will also offer ‘step-up’ support for people in the community who need a short period of bed-based care, who might otherwise need to be admitted to hospital or long-term residential care.

Feedback from people staying at the facility, which has been fully refurbished, includes “how happy” they are with the “quieter and more homely atmosphere” and families are “really pleased” with their relatives’ ensuite rooms and the progress made whilst at Parkview.

Launched as a partnership between the NHS Lancashire and Cumbria Integrated Care Board, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust and Westmorland and Furness Council, the facility is the result of a review which highlighted a lack of provision for people leaving hospital, who needed a higher level of support than could be provided at home. People were staying in hospital longer than needed and unable to access services to help regain or maintain their independence.

Jane Scattergood, Director of Health and Care integration for South Cumbria, said: “I am pleased to see the Intermediate care bedded service at Parkview Gardens is already thriving and patients are benefiting from this wonderful service offer on our patch. This is something our area has badly needed for many years, so it is credit to each of the organisations involved that it has come to fruition.

“A huge amount of collaborative work between the council, the NHS Trust and the Integrated Care Board (ICB) has gone into setting this new service up for our citizens. We are hoping to build on this community-based approach across our footprint to achieve the best outcomes for our residents, so that they can remain healthy and independent within their own homes.”

Nikkie Phipps, Assistant Director for Care Services at Westmorland and Furness Council, said: “After a hospital stay, some people may struggle with activities of daily living such as making meals, personal care and not being able to manage walking or stairs as well they used to.

“Nobody wants to stay in hospital longer than they need to and services to help them to promote their independence and wellbeing in a personalised way are a better option.

“As part of our commitment to helping people remain independent, we are delighted to work with our NHS partners to offer the Intermediate Care Bed facility at Parkview Gardens, providing a real opportunity for people to regain their skills to live independently and consider their support needs in an enabling setting, before returning to their own homes.”

Scott McLean, Chief Operating Officer, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, added: "We are really proud to be part of the Parkview Gardens development and are delighted to see the positive patient outcomes in the short time it's been open.

"Increased capacity in the community means that patients who no longer require specialist hospital care can receive the support they need in the community, closer to home.

Hospital is not the best place for patients who no longer need specialist care and the evidence shows that the quicker patients get this vital support, the higher the chance is of them recovering and increasing their independence to enable them to return home.

"This service development demonstrates how real joined up working between teams from the Trust, Westmorland and Furness Council and the Integrated Care Board can benefit patients in South Cumbria and truly help us put patients first."

The service is therapy-led and the team at Parkview includes Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Social Care staff.  It is also closely linked with social work teams, who ensure any further support needed is in place for when people return home.

Parkview Gardens offers shared spaces where people can meet, eat together and chat, alongside quiet areas to read or relax. People can also use the existing facilities at Parkview Gardens, such as the hairdresser, shop and group activities.

Vanessa Sadler, an Occupational Therapist at Parkview Gardens, said: “It has been really positive to see how our residents have settled and engaged with therapy and with the care team as a whole.

“The ethos is definitely rehab focused and it is positive to see residents going to the dining area for meals and engaging in conversation with the staff and each other. Some of our residents need equipment and minor adaptations arranging for discharge home, and these issues can be sorted whilst they are here, rather than waiting in a hospital bed for things to be completed.”