Community Assessment Unit and Frailty SDEC

The Community Assessment Unit and Frailty SDEC

Patient Information

Adult Community Services

Introduction

The Community Assessment Unit and Frailty SDEC is a same day assessment area and a short stay bedded unit that aims to provide a proactive approach to patients who are presenting with frailty related health conditions.   

The specialist team is made up of a consultant in elderly care, specialist nurses and a multi-professional team including nurses, physiotherapist, occupational therapist. 

Aims

The Community Assessment Unit and Frailty SDEC is a community run unit that will accommodate patients requiring step up care (from home) or step-down care (from a larger hospital) in addition to community patients requiring assessment and investigations in our dedicated assessment area. The ethos of the unit is to provide person centred care, utilising a therapy led reablement approach will ensure that the support you require is available for you to recover in your own home/community setting when you are discharged from the Unit.

Staying in hospital longer than is necessary can have a negative effect on you.

The aim of the community assessment Unit is to: 

• Maintain your level of independence by reducing your hospital stay. 
• Deliver quick effective care. 
• Reduce the need for you to have further hospital admissions. 
• Improve your wellbeing by focussing on individual strengths.

The additional community beds will assist in the delivery of right patient; right ward which will reduce the length of stay.

The Unit

The Community Assessment Unit is a short stay unit which has 21 beds including nine side-rooms and six assessment chairs for community patients requiring investigations.

The focus on the unit is to improve your wellbeing and promote your optimum independence. Unlike other hospital admissions you may have experienced, on the Community Assessment Unit you will be expected and encouraged to:

• Wear your own clothes during the day. 
• Sit out of bed for periods of time, including mealtimes, unless unable to do so due to your medical condition. 
• Participate in your own care including administering medication if possible, with support from the staff. 
• Eat meals at a dining room table.

What you can expect from the team 

• The Community Assessment Unit will ensure that you are treated with compassion, respect and dignity.   Your individual strengths will be assessed, and the team will plan care with these in mind.
• We work closely with both health and social care and will ensure smooth safe discharge to your place of residence.
• We will work with carers and family to facilitate safe discharge.

Benefits

The benefits to you as a patient are that you will:

• Receive timely specialist assessments by community staff therefore eliminating extended hospital stays and delayed discharges while waiting for assessments. 
• Will be encouraged to self-care as much as possible to prepare for discharge home or to your place of residence.
• Return home as soon as safely possible with links into health and social care.
• Receive any ongoing specialist support you require in the community. 
• Know that you will have constant GP feedback.

Discharge from the Unit

You will be discharged directly from the Unit to your place of residence eliminating the need for transfer to the discharge lounge.