News - Successful Community Home First programme set for expansion

The Community Home First programme has received more funding from the NHS, Cheshire West and Chester Council and Postcode Community Trust to continue its positive work, helping medically fit people get out of hospital and return home.

After a successful pilot, the programme launched at the Countess of Chester Hospital in January, with Cheshire Community Action (CCA) working alongside several partner organisations to help discharge people from hospital as quickly as possible and access any support they might need in the community.

CCA’s community connectors are based at both the Countess of Chester and Leighton Hospital in Crewe, working closely with NHS and Council staff and the following community organisations.

• Snow Angels, which offers six weeks of support at home after discharge for selected older patients, including check-ins, shopping and prescription drop-offs.
• Age UK Cheshire, which provides dedicated home visits to newly discharged patients needing more comprehensive support to help with their recovery and independence.
• Cheshire and Warrington Carers Trust, which gives specialist support to carers who have been in hospital.
• Healthbox CIC, which supports people in the home with strength and balance training and guidance on healthy lifestyles.

Healthbox CIC has put together a short video to highlight the role it plays in the Community Home First programme.

Community Home First has made a significant impact since it first launched, with a forecasted social value return of nearly £1.21 million for 2024.

The programme is also expected to help avoid 3,100 overnight stays in hospital.

With this further funding, the programme is planning to recruit another member of staff to work at the Countess of Chester and run a pilot project to support the discharge of mental health patients.

• More about Community Home First

If you’d like to discuss Community Home First and how your organisation or team might be able to engage with the programme, please reach out to: mark.reading@cheshireaction.org.uk.

Cheshire West Voluntary Action (CWVA) has provided strategic leadership for the programme, working in close collaboration with CCA and helping lever in the funding to support the community organisations involved.