Hospital patients shifted to nursing homes to free up beds

Nov 18 2008 by David Himelfield, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

HOSPITAL patients are to be shipped out to other centres in a move to free up ward beds.

Health bosses are to launch a campaign to clear beds – and admit it will be doctors and not patients who will make the decisions.

Kirklees and Calderdale NHS trusts and hospital chiefs have linked up with Kirklees and Calderdale councils to encourage patients, who no longer require hospital care, into intermediary healthcare services.

Patients will be placed in nursing and care homes, and perhaps at Holme Valley Memorial Hospital, when the radical changes come in next month.

The campaign, called the Emergency Services Collaborative (ESC), will publicise a complete list of services available to patients after they leave hospital.