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Investing in Community Care to free up NHS beds

We have been supplying health and social care equipment for over 45 years. But our team have never faced a situation quite like the one our country currently finds itself in now. These are unprecedented times. On behalf of everyone at Vivid Care, I hope you are staying safe and well.

Despite the uncertainty, our health and social care systems are showing incredible resilience and dedication to caring for those in need. Nightingale Hospitals are being set up across the country in under a week. Meanwhile, frontline NHS staff are leaving their homes so they can continue working without putting their families at risk. Thank you to everyone working to treat as many patients as possible.

Most people are aware of the fantastic work hospitals are doing. What can sometimes be forgotten is the vital role of frontline community care workers. Local authorities, carers, occupational therapists and care home staff are also working around the clock. Their job is to get people out of hospital quicker and then keep them out by providing support at-home or in community care settings.

That’s why we are pleased to announce we have enhanced our services to offer additional support. Here’s what’s changed:

Investment and Reorganisation

Since mid-March, we have:

  • Invested in additional warehouse space
  • Increased our manufacturing and stock levels
  • Sourced additional suppliers for equipment in high demand
  • Reorganised our staff to optimise response and delivery times

This investment will allow us to rapidly supply equipment nationwide — ensuring people to be safely and comfortably cared for in the community.

What equipment can we supply?

  • Care beds
  • Mattresses
  • Specialist seating
  • Furniture
  • Consumables
  • Toileting and showering aids
  • Moving and handling equipment
  • Mobility aids

All the above are available urgently. Priority delivery is available for NHS Trusts, local authorities, community equipment services, care homes and OTs.

For a detailed availability list, please email [email protected]. We can provide an up to date list of prices, specifications and lead times.

How will this help free up hospital beds?

In line with the government’s ‘COVID-19 Hospital Discharge Service Requirement’, hospitals must submit daily reports on the numbers of patients discharged.  Over 15,000 patients were discharged in the last week of March and hospitals are expected to maintain this flow.

These stricter procedures increase the pressure on the already stretched community care workers. Without urgent access to appropriate equipment, they cannot take over responsibility for patient care and people cannot be discharged.

Tristan Hulbert, Managing Director at Vivid Care, said:

“Our health and social care system are facing unprecedented demand. It’s more important than ever that we come together to support our brilliant NHS and frontline care workers.”

“We’ve worked alongside NHS Trusts, local authorities, care professionals, and patients for many years, providing equipment to ensure a smooth transition from hospital stay to community or at-home care. When we saw the discharge targets, we knew there was going to be a huge demand for community care equipment.”

“Taking care of people and ensuring they have the best possible quality of life has always been the Yorkshire Care way. So, we immediately set about adapting the business so we could help. Our team will be on-hand whenever and wherever to handle enquiries and get equipment delivered to those in need.”

What about staff safety?

We are fully committed to supporting community care, but the health and wellbeing of our team remains our top priority.

New policies have been put in place to protect staff whilst getting equipment delivered as quickly as possible:

  • Our office staff are working from home — don’t worry they’re all set up to answer any calls and emails!
  • Social distancing measures must be followed at all times by those still on-site. There are restrictions on how many people can be in the warehouse or showroom at once.
  • Our engineers and delivery drivers all have hand sanitiser and appropriate PPE.

Read our full COVID-19 policy here.

Let us know how we can help

If you’re trying to find any equipment not listed here, please do give us a call on 01423 799960.

We have a vast supply chain and have built lots of connections over the years. So, we’re taking all product requests and will work to procure anything we can on your behalf.

Date Published

6 April 2020

Reading Time

3 minutes

Author avatar

Author

Graeme Wilson

Graeme has worked alongside the public sector for much of his working life, helping departments improve efficiencies and deliver on projects. In his role at Vivid.Care, Graeme used his experience to tackle some of the most challenging issues in the healthcare sector, from falls through to winter pressures. He was also a guest speaker and a number of different conferences, including at the Falls Prevention Summit in London.

bed bay setup

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