This in from the Isl of Wight NHS Trust, in their own words. Ed
The health and social care system on the Isle of Wight has been under pressure this winter and a variety of new schemes have been put in place by the Island’s multi agency System Resilience Group chaired by Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
The Island received £2.4m to support the NHS through this winter and this has been used for a variety of projects including the opening of a 13 bed ‘step down’ unit in the Community. The new Unit also facilitates changes at St. Mary’s Hospital.
The Board of Isle of Wight NHS Trust have now approved, subject to ratification on 28th January, the opening of the 13 bed community facility for patients who no longer need to be in an acute hospital but could move to alternative accommodation to complete their inpatient stay. Whilst at the Unit the final co-ordination of their discharge arrangements will be made. For some the discharge may be to your nursing or residential care home.
New facility to be called ‘Poppy Unit’
The new service, to be called ‘Poppy Unit’, will be located at Solent Grange, a nursing home just outside Newport. The Unit, which will be located on one floor of Solent Grange, will be managed and staffed by the NHS Trust and will have a separate Care Quality Commission (CQC) registration from Solent Grange. It is expected that individuals transferred from St. Mary’s will only spend up to five days at Poppy Unit whilst longer term arrangements are made for them.
Nikki Turner, Associate Director for Community and Mental Health Services at Isle of Wight NHS Trust said:
“This new Unit is for when a patient is ready to leave an acute hospital bed and they no longer need active treatment provided by a hospital consultant. Our hope is that this new temporary facility will help ease the pressure on St. Mary’s but more importantly provide a good quality experience and environment for patients who, for a short period of time, need to be placed somewhere whilst longer term arrangements, for example a package of care, is put in place.”
The Trust has appointed Charge Nurse Stuart Elliot to lead Poppy Unit. Stuart said:
“This is an exciting opportunity for me and the team we are putting in place to run Poppy Unit. The same quality standards, policies and procedures that apply to other Trust services and facilities will be followed at Poppy Unit. We’re looking forward to providing a quality experience for everyone every time.”
Image: © Solent Grange Care Home
