A NEW team has been set up at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary to help older people who require social services assistance when leaving hospital.
The hospital assessment and intermediate care team have staff members drawn from within the existing Lancaster Older People Services.
The number of hospital referrals for older people requiring social service support is expected to increase rapid
ly during 2008 as Morecambe Bay Acute Trust implements the Morecambe Bay Acute Medical Services review.
This will lead to shorter average length of stays in hospital for older people and an increased throughput of patients at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.
The team will accept all hospital referrals for older people with the exception of those who already have an existing community mental health team worker.
They will work with older people and their carers to help them move on from hospital as appropriate and to ensure that they are settled back in the community, at home, or in a placement suitable to their needs
Seven social workers and four review, assessment and support officers will be based in the social work department on the first floor, Southfield, Royal Lancaster Infirmary alongside the allied health professional members of the intermediate care team.
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