Early Supported Discharge

What is this service?

Our respiratory specialist clinicians help to facilitate patients hospital discharge, to reduce their length of stay in hospital (<48hours).

What does this service do?

We bring care into the community and provide a safe alternative to staying in hospital. We visit patients in their own home during the length of their COPD exacerbation (flare-up). During exacerbations we can increase social support with our Rapid Response Team which consists of nursing and therapies staff.

We advocate a self-management approach to help patients better understand their care. Through this ethos we encourage patients to take control in managing their condition.

We can provide a variety of care and treatment within patients homes including:

providing a short term nebuliserproviding an oxygen therapy needs assessmentteaching chest clearance techniquessupporting patients in disease educationassessment of inhaler techniquessupport with smoking cessationassistance with long term conditions management

We work closely with a variety of other healthcare services such as GPs, Respiratory Consultants and HOT clinics.

We can also make referrals to our Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Community Matron and Occupational Therapy services as well as the Bristol Stop Smoking Team.

Who is this service for?

This service is available to people who:

live in South or Inner City and East Bristolhave a confirmed diagnosis of COPDhave an exacerbation of their COPD that is at risk of hospital admissionpatients who have been admitted to hospital and have been in hospital for less than 48 hours

How can I access this service?

Access to this service is by referral only. Referrals can be made by any clinical member of staff from the United Bristol Healthcare Trust (UBHT) for patients who are safe to be discharged within 48 hours.

To refer into Early Supported Discharge call: 0117 342 3895