Patients are spending more time in hospital due to a lack of necessary care for safe discharge and continued recovery at home. When patients are stuck in hospital longer than they need to, it not only slows their recovery rate but also drains the NHS’s finances and resources.
This issue is widespread. NHS data shows that in December 2023, 63% of patients fit to leave hospital faced delayed discharge as they waited for social care arrangements. Bed blocking is proving to be an expensive problem, costing upwards of £483 per person per night and is delaying urgent hospital care for incoming patients. With inadequate social care arrangements being one of the main causes of bed blocking, the UK needs to improve the system for finding and allocating carers.
The current traditional agency model typically operates on standard business hours, meaning finding a carer over the weekend is difficult. But a shortage of qualified carers means that even midweek discharges can be slow. The root cause of these problems is that carers are systematically underpaid and undervalued, leading to a critical shortage of skilled workers as carers leave the profession to find a more sustainable career path.
The key to tightening up the discharge process while ensuring patients’ needs are still met can be found in technology. An alternative to the outdated care agency model has emerged in online care providers which focus on putting choice and control back into the hands of patients and families.
Challenging the status quo
It is estimated that online care providers could triple the number of people able to leave the hospital when deemed well enough. They have the flexibility that traditional agencies lack and can provide high-quality carers to patients in as little as 30 minutes or even in real-time, day and night, seven days a week. By leveraging these platforms, hospitals will be able to connect discharged patients with a suitable carer much faster.
On top of making care more accessible, carers are thoroughly vetted to ensure that hospital staff can trust that their patients are in safe hands. In addition, these care professionals earn more on average per hour than agency staff, leading to increased retention. This also results in lower costs to the NHS or private clients due to reduced overheads and administrative expenses.
Providing choice and control
Technology can provide families and patients with choice and control, which the current post-hospital care model cannot achieve due to being over-stretched and underfunded. Patients and their families can manage their own care through online care platforms. They can choose a carer based on various factors including specific qualifications, language skills and even personality.
It’s vital that care addresses both the emotional and physical needs of a patient to provide a more personalised experience. This is especially crucial for individuals navigating recovery or living with complex needs, as it can help them feel less isolated. In contrast to agencies that may send different carers for each visit, online care platforms allow patients to receive consistent care by choosing the same carer every time. This is particularly beneficial for individuals with autism or dementia, as it ensures that the care they receive can contribute to an improved quality of life.
Introducing a new approach to care
The NHS is facing funding shortages, so Trusts must find ways to save money without compromising care quality. One opportunity to address both needs is by reevaluating how post-hospital home care is sourced and managed.
Online care platforms enable hospitals to find carers at a lower cost, 24 hours a day, while ensuring that carers are vetted and trained. Using these services allows NHS Trusts to reduce spending on care and delayed discharges, while still being able to rely on well-trained carers that patients can trust.