Broadgreen Hospital Listening Event

Healthwatch Liverpool visited the Broadgreen Hospital Reablement Assessment Hub (Wards 2 and 7) in June 2024 to understand patients’ experiences of the new reablement model. The Hub supports people who no longer need acute hospital care but require rehabilitation, therapy and assessment before safely returning home. Healthwatch spoke with 16 patients and two family members. Overall, feedback was highly positive, with staff receiving the strongest praise. Patients described staff as caring, attentive, supportive and responsive, often comparing the experience favourably with acute wards at the Royal or Aintree hospitals. 

A major strength of the Hub was its focus on rehabilitation and activity. Healthwatch observed patients taking part in outdoor exercise sessions, games, music activities, walks and social events. Families reported noticeable improvements in relatives’ wellbeing, confidence and engagement. Patients appreciated opportunities to socialise, spend time outdoors and participate in physiotherapy and reablement activities designed to support their recovery and independence. Early data shared during the visit suggested the model reduced readmissions while enabling patients to return to their previous place of residence. 

Most patients felt informed about their care, treatment and discharge planning. They valued involvement from physiotherapists, social workers and multidisciplinary staff. However, some concerns were raised. Several patients highlighted distress caused by other patients during the night, while others mentioned repetitive menus, food quality, limited wheelchair availability restricting participation in activities, and a lack of equipment such as fans, televisions positioned for easier viewing and more comfortable seating. Concerns were also raised about infection prevention measures, including empty hand sanitiser dispensers and ward cleanliness issues observed by Healthwatch during the visit. 

Healthwatch concluded that the Reablement Hub provides a positive, person-centred environment that supports recovery and independence. Recommendations included investing in additional wheelchairs and equipment, maintaining adequate staffing levels, improving food variety, strengthening infection prevention practices, ensuring staff receive learning disability and autism awareness training, supporting patients disturbed at night, and continuing to share learning from the reablement model across other hospital sites. The Trust subsequently accepted and responded to the recommendations, confirming actions such as purchasing additional wheelchairs and fans, strengthening infection-control measures and rolling out further staff training.