Staying Out is a new project soon to be delivered by Synergy VCS Consortium, with two consortium members, 3Scoreyears&10 and ARC playing a leading role.
The project aims to support some of the most isolated people in Stockton, on their discharge from hospital, to live healthy and fulfilling lives, and ultimately avoid readmission to hospital.
The partners will work closely with local hospitals to identify isolated older people who may benefit from support at the point of discharge to help them ‘get back on their feet’.
Together the partners have developed a holistic pathway of support which will support older people out of hospital, at home and out in the community.
3Scoreyears&10’s qualified care workers will work with those that sign up for the service on their discharge from hospital, firstly ensuring that their basic needs are met. They will then introduce each client to a trained and dedicated volunteer befriender who will continue to support them towards independence, referring them to appropriate sources of further support from a range of partners from the public and voluntary sectors.
3Scoreyears&10’s Chief Executive Officer, Amanda Rylander, explained:
“Whilst the hospital and all professionals involved with an individual when they are admitted provide an excellent service, Staying Out means we will have the opportunity to really engage with people. There are older residents of Stockton who may never have had one to one support to help them look at their life holistically and give them the tools to be able to really make the changes that are long term. We hope working with Staying Out will give them a sense of new life. We want to walk this journey with them.”
One source of support that has been developed by ARC as part of the Staying Out project is a creative alternative “day center”. ARC will offer a creative programme of activity on Wednesdays providing an alternative to day care for clients where they can be creative, learn new skills and engage in social interaction. The programme will offer everything from storytelling, drama and music to health advice, food and films in an inclusive, mainstream community space in the heart of Stockton. The activity will contribute to maintaining self-esteem and confidence, positive mental health and wellbeing, maximising independence and minimising isolation.
ARC’s Chief Executive, Annabel Turpin, said that she was excited to see ARC play such a vital role in the project:
“It’s brilliant that the contribution creative arts activity in a vibrant venue like ARC can play in helping people stay active and connected has been recognised. We are excited to have the opportunity to work with our partners to reach some of the most vulnerable people living in Stockton, and look forward to welcoming them to ARC.”
The project was made possible after the consortium secured funding from the Health Outcomes funding commissioned by Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees Clinical Commissioning Group and Public Health Stockton, via Catalyst.
Steve Pett, Specialist Services Manager at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, explained:
“We’re delighted to be working with Synergy, 3Scoreyears&10 and ARC on Staying Out. We know that, once people are feeling better and are ready to leave hospital, being well supported when they go home and feeling part of their community are really important to prevent people feeling isolated. This in turn, has a very negative effect on their health and general wellbeing and can lead to readmission to hospital. This is a great example of where organisations working together can make a difference and we’re excited about the contribution this project is going to make to the overall health and wellbeing of people in Stockton.”