Care home residents with dementia and severe mental illness across Ealing are being helped to avoid unnecessary hospital stays by receiving specialist mental health support where they live.
West London NHS Trust’s Care Home In-reach Liaison Service (CHILS) works with 32 care homes across the borough. As well as supporting residents, it helps those admitted to hospital return to their care home sooner and provides training for care home staff.
The trust said the service has reduced the need for intensive one-to-one care, saving the local NHS more than £1.28 million. It has also reported a significant fall in the use of antipsychotic medication.
Jackie Jervis, specialist nurse practitioner, said: “We know that people often achieve the best outcomes when they can receive care in familiar surroundings.
“CHILS helps care home residents access timely specialist support, improving their wellbeing while reducing the need for hospital admission wherever possible.”
