Paul

Buller (Service Lead West Cornwall Hospital,

Marie Therese House & Eldercare) & Tina Elliott
(Ward Manager, Medical 1, West Cornwall Hospital)

How were the Volunteer Sector

Engaged
RCHT were invited to attend the Penwith Pioneer Project

in November 2013 (Now the Living Well Project). The

Service Lead for WCH attended the project board and
Ward Manager attended the Pioneer Practitioner Group
As part of the Living Well Project referrals were initially
made to the volunteer sector by phone
To increase understanding in what could be delivered and
condence, LWC (Living Well Coordinators) were invited
to attend Ward Rapid Discharge Rounds on Medical 1 and
then Medical 2 at WCH
To enable this the LWC workers were provided with
honorary contracts. To speed up this process a nominated
person has been trained locally to provide these.

When do they A6end

LWC workers from AGE UK or Volunteer Cornwall

attend the Rapid Discharge MDT 5 days per week at

08:30 with Nurse in charge of the patients, Medics,
Therapists, Social Services, Discharge Nurse and twice
weekly the Mental Health Practitioner
They also attend the Weekly MDT

Support Provided
They are now an integral part of the team, receiving referrals

and oering input where they think they can help

They have helped with oering visits at home for isolated and
vulnerable people
Support for carers on discharge
Transport home
Installing lock boxes for medications
Assisting therapists with equipment transport and instillation
Registering patients with a local GP
Repatriating patients
Arranging coee mornings for those that are Isolated
20% of people referred become volunteers

Sta Feedback
I have recently nished 3 months as the consultant in charge of Med 1

at West Cornwall Hospital. While there the ward was lucky to be

supported by volunteers from Age UK. On a daily basis, a volunteer
would attend our morning board round as we discussed each patient
in turn, focussing on discharge plans. On a number of occasions the
volunteers were able to help with issues which we, as a
multidisciplinary team, nd dicult. On one occasion a volunteer
was able to gain a patients permission to pick up his keys from a
friend to enable his discharge to occur in a timely fashion. On other
occasions the volunteers were able to support discharges by
organising shopping and heating being put on prior to patients going
home. As with all things discharge related, there are so many aspects
of care and social details that need to be organised prior to a patient
leaving hospital, that many people with dierent areas of expertise are
needed to ensure a seamless process. I think the voluntary sector have
been a valuable asset to this aspect of hospital care.
Dr Julia Bell, Consultant Geriatrician

 Having the LWC present has been an asset to the ward

team. They have helped smooth the bumps out of the

discharge process. For example when an OT went sick and
it took two of them to deliver equipment, a volunteer was
organised to help potentially saving 2 days length of stay.
They are regarded as part of the team by the MDT and
have a positive inuence on the quality of our discharges
and well being of the patient. They also help advising
relatives and carers on available support/ respite in the
community and the nancial benets they are entitled to.
Tina Elliott, Ward Sister, Medical 1, West Cornwall Hospital

 Great idea, really great, its logical and has made a

huge dierence. It helps with discharge ; shopping for

discharge yesterday ; Home O2 helped with
installation
Mandy Wat Physiotherapy Technician

Referrals
The Table below shows the amount of referrals:

Med 1
Med2
Total

April
1

1

May
5

5

June
0

0

July
6

6

August
5
1
6

September
3
4
7

October
12
1
13

November
22
5
27

December
12
4
16

The LWC started on the wards in November, Medical 1

January
18
10
28

piloted telephone referrals rst.

Both wards were closed in December from a Noro Virus
outbreak
What is noticeable is there is a delay before referrals
increase as the sta get used to and understand what the
voluntary sector can provide.

Data
The tables below show the previous 6 month admission history of

patients referred and the 6 month history since referral.

Before referral

After referral

Patient No

Date
Referred

Record
Close Date

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

30/04/2014
16/05/2014
16/05/2014
16/05/2014
28/05/2014
09/07/2014
18/07/2014
18/07/2014
23/07/2014
30/07/2014
31/07/2014
05/08/2014
07/08/2014
07/08/2014

30/10/2014
16/11/2014
16/11/2014
16/11/2014
28/11/2014
09/01/2015
18/01/2015
18/01/2015
23/01/2015
30/01/2015
31/01/2015
05/02/2015
07/02/2015
07/02/2015

1
1
2
1
2
1
1
2
2
1
6
1
1
1

12
13
35
11
13
12
24
14
29
19
122
5
13
37

12
13
17.5
11
6.5
12
24
7
14.5
19
20.3
5
13
37

0
2
0
0
2
0
0
1
1
0
4
1
1
0

0
8
0
0
42
0
0
4
1
0
56
8
2
0

0
4
0
0
21
0
0
4
1
0
14
8
2
0

Total

23

359

15.6

12

121

10.1

Total stays Total Days

Av LOS

Total Stays Total Days

Av LOS

 The total number of readmission has almost halved

the total bed days is down by 66%
the ALOS is down by 33%.

These are the rst 14 patients that have been referred

and are now 6 months on. As more go past 6 months

post referral they will be included.