People are getting stuck in hospital, often because of a lack of care closer to home – particularly those living on their own. The impact this has on people and the system is hard to overstate. Older people are estimated to lose up to 5% of muscle strength per day in hospital, ultimately reducing their ability to live independently at home once discharged.

In 2017 the British Red Cross helped over 187,000 people to live independently, and as a result avoid unnecessary hospital admissions and delayed discharges. This report is all about how the British Red Cross is supporting the NHS to improve patient flow with one of their assisted discharge services.

The case study in this publication tells the story of how the British Red Cross worked with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust to help their patients get home following an inpatient hospital stay and stay well at home. We hope this publication gives you some ideas about how you too could use the service to enhance patient care and clinical sustainability.

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