The impact of providing specialist housing support to hospital inpatients: WHoSE study findings 4. KEY FINDINGS: Positive impact
1. THE PROBLEM People may experience a delay in being discharged from hospital because their housing is not suitable.
The HSCs reduced some of the barriers to discharge experienced by patients; and having the HSCs enabled healthcare staff to spend less time on housing related issues.
As demand for hospital beds increases, the NHS is under pressure to discharge patients more quickly yet safely from hospital care.
Patients outcomes were improved as they felt more supported knowing someone was proactively dealing with their housing issues whilst they were in hospital. Healthcare staff felt the service has improved the hospital discharge process for people with complicated housing issues.
2. THE SOLUTION NHS, housing, social care and community services are working together to discharge patients to better, safer and more appropriate accommodation that reduces their risk of returning to hospital. The Housing Support Coordinator service (HSC) delivered by WDH (Wakefield District Housing) in South West Yorkshire Partnership Foundation Trust (mental health hospital) and Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust (a general district hospital) addresses this challenge.
The HSC service has the potential to save the NHS health care costs. If the HSC service reduced delayed discharge by 2-3 days in 1-2 patients every week, then the service would pay for itself.
HSC
HSCs work with patients to assist them with any housing related needs to enable them to leave hospital.
Hospital Services
5. KEY FINDINGS: Challenges
3. THE RESEARCH Researchers from the University of Sheffield evaluated the HSC service between January 2020 and March 2022, to understand its impact.
6. THE RESULT
The research analysed information from patients and practitioners through questionnaires, interviews with both staff and patients and routinely collected monitoring data.
The HSC service helped facilitate hospital discharge, leading to better outcomes for patients, and reduced stress on healthcare staff.
Where the HSC role sits in each hospital affected timely referrals, access to NHS systems and effective team working.
Recommendations from the research,are being taken forward to improve the current service. For example, ensuring the HSCs are based in the hospital discharge teams.
There was a lack of availability of suitable housing and services for people to be referred onto. For example, supported housing for people with mental health issues.
Some people required further housing support after leaving hospital because of the complexity of their housing and personal situations such as people experiencing homelessness.
We recommend other commissioners and hospitals consider investing in HSCs or similar housing support services.
To find out more and read the full report, visit: nihrsphr.link/WHoSE This study is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) School for Public Health Research (SPHR), Grant Reference Number PD-SPH-2015. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.