Physiotherapy services in Hereford – Framework Lead

The current contract for Physiotherapy services in Hereford is projected to end on 20/2/2018 and may be available for re-tender.The current contract for Physiotherapy services in Hereford included the provision of a Rapid Access to Assessment and Care Service (‘the Services’), which will be commissioned from the date of the contract award. This Service will comprise individual placements of up to two weeks for people requiring a short stay for reablement purposes or for time to allow assessment and care planning. Provision must be available within a very short time-scale (up to 24 hours) due to the nature of the service and its place in the urgent care pathway.The aim is to provide a service which can respond to the needs of people in one of the following situations. Firstly, to individuals who are currently in hospital, awaiting further specialist assessments, or further recuperation but do not have a clinical need to remain there. Secondly, to individuals who are at risk of being admitted to hospital but their needs could be managed in Residential or Nursing home care.The rationale for this Service is two-fold; firstly, to reduce the pressure on hospital beds in the Herefordshire NHS. Secondly, the Council wishes to moderate the pressure on the Herefordshire health and social care profession in general by maximising people’s independence and minimising their dependence on medical intervention where possible.The Council requires a mix of provision in nursing homes and residential homes. Ideally the care homes will be dual registered so that people can benefit from a seamless reduction in the care which they receive as their condition improves. The Council wishes to enter into a framework agreement with a number of care homes across Herefordshire so that people can use services as close as practicable to their homes and families. The beds which are commissioned will be used for one of the following short stay purposes:step up, step down or assessment to care. They will provide a targeted intervention to prevent urgent/unplanned hospital admissions where:— Step Up: whereby hospital admission is not required because any required medical intervention can be safely provided in a community setting, but it is unsafe for the service user to remain in their home.— Step Down: in circumstances which it is adjudged that it is clinically safe for an individual to be discharged from hospital but it is unsafe for the service user to go straight home.— Assessment to Care: when an individual needs a temporary safe environment to enable an assessment and care plan to be compiled.All three of the aforementioned circumstances will include an element of assessment and onward care planning, ranging from community level support for people who will return home and care for themselves to in-depth assessment and care planning involving the individual, their families, health, social care and other agencies if the service user cannot return to their own home and needs to plan a move into permanent care.In order to maximize people’s independence, Wye Valley NHS Trust will be providing occupational therapy and physiotherapy input for people using this service. The Council will provide reablement support. The care home will actively support the programmes set for the service users, and will add to the service users progress by trained care workers providing a reablement-focused care and support service seven days a week. Additionally, WVT will provide district nurse support for people who require it and are in residential care home placements as part of the RAAC service.If people will be returning home and using the reablement service, the WVT therapists will provide full information about the person’s progress along with recommendations for the persons reablement support to the reablement service provider as part of delivering the programme in the home, and as part of transfer of care process upon returning home.Outcomes:To maintain independence, health and well-being, to receive a personalised care and support plan to enable them to return home and live as independently as possible.To enable people to remain in their own homes for as long as they wish and be a part of their local community.