Helping local people home from hospital in time for Christmas

This winter our trusted team is on a mission to help local people at Royal Stoke University Hospital return home safely in time for Christmas.

Our dedicated Home Support Team, who are based at the hospital, help the ward staff discharge patients home by connecting them to essentials like food, water, heating, electricity and medication. They also make sure their homes are safe to be discharged to.

After recent winter pressures, the team are seeing a higher demand than normal and are working harder than ever to support people home.

Last week the team went above and beyond to make sure George could be discharged after having no access to heating and food.

As Home Support Team Leader Mark explains: “George was admitted to hospital last week because he was cold, hungry and feeling weak.

“The below zero conditions made it impossible for him to get out and do his food shop. He was worried about falling and injuring himself which meant he was left hungry and cold at home.”

Revival have previously supported George, helping him to live independently after he lost his partner to COVID-19. As this year is the first Christmas without his partner, our teams wanted to make sure George was home and surrounded by memories of them.

Our Home Support Team stepped in to make that happen.

“Once George was well enough to go home, we provided him with a food parcel from our excellent partners at the Trussell Trust Foodbank in Stoke-on-Trent. As well as everyday food it had a festive treat with a mince pie and a Christmas pudding in too.

“He was living in an upstairs flat and when the team did a home safety check they found his stair rail had become loose. It meant he couldn’t safely come up or down the stairs.

“Our trusty repairs team came out within an hour of the home visit. They fixed the problem and George was able to come home.”

“Fiercely independent, George didn’t want to impose on the NHS and was grateful that Revival could help him home.”

After losing his partner, George began speaking to his neighbours. They were so supportive and helped him through a difficult period. 

“Once he was home and comfortable, we were able to help George deliver Christmas cards to them.

“One was 65-year-old Doreen who lived alone. After they chatted they arranged to meet up for Christmas lunch so neither of them would be spending it alone.”