APPENDIX
CASE STUDIES:
1. An elderly lady was referred to the project
by a hospital Social Worker. This patient had been admitted with
a severe respiratory condition and was receiving renal dialysis
twice a week, and had mobility problems. The Social Worker discovered
that there were problems with her heating and asked Care and Repair
to investigate. A Case Worker visited her on the ward within 48
hours and arranged for a contractor to have access the following
day. The contractor condemned the heating system but agreed to
make time to fit a new one if funding could be identified. The
cost of the work would be in excess of £3,000.
Whilst the work was undertaken the patient was
transferred to intermediate care to continue her rehabilitation
whilst the case worker arranged for a grant from the City Council.
Within the week the work was complete and the patient was discharged
home.
2. Following a very long period of hospitalisation
an elderly patient, finally well enough to return home, faced
difficulties arising out of his wheelchair dependence and an inaccessible
home. The patient's Occupational Therapist was concerned that
no Disabled Facilities Grant would be available to this patient
and so contacted the scheme because of the need for ramps to the
front and rear of his home. The design of the ramps was agreed
with the OT and the client. The Handy Person from the scheme measured
and priced the cost of the steel ramps, which were made by a local
fabricator and fitted by the scheme. The labour was free to the
client and the Case Worker raised the cost of the materials from
local charitable sources and hardship funds.
In these examples the expertise and liaison
work of the Case Worker and the skills of the Handy Person/Technical
Officer of the scheme saved a great deal of time and energy for
the hospital based professionals, avoided a delay in discharge
and ensured a good outcome for the patients.
Extract from a report on Bristol Care and Repair
Hospital Discharge and Admission Prevention Service, September
2001.
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