Engagement report: New early supported discharge service for stroke patients in Suffolk

The NHS Ipswich and East Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group (IESCCG) and the NHS West Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group (WSCCG) have planned to commission an Early Support Discharge (ESD) service for patients who have a stroke. 1 A local engagement exercise was carried out, and the public was invited to give their views through surveys and focus groups, on how the ESD service can provide the best level of care. As the independent champion for health and social care, Healthwatch Suffolk has independently collected and analysed people’s feedback and opinions on behalf of the local health and social system.  They spoke to 112 people.

With the approval rating so high on the development of ESD in West Suffolk, East Suffolk and Ipswich, the responses of the sample have plainly concluded that the following matters are of importance when addressing the development/improvement of service provision in this area:

• The development of a person-centred programme, used as a structure to involve and innovate, couched in a sturdy, financially maintained framework of care.
• The development of a training and information stream, focusing on bespoke care capacity over broad universalism approaches and the structuring of care to provide something of a safety harness of provision from qualified experts acting in auxiliary roles to the main, designated carer. 
• Reassurance that service improvements will not mean stealth diminishing of service provision in practice 
• The critical importance of joined up health and social care that maintains and improves high standards within a philosophy of holistic care and patient responsiveness 
• The development of individual, bespoke care plans based on enhanced discharge criteria involving patients (where possible), carer, specialist and auxiliary service providers (where needed) 
• That the ESD was a policy and practice of progressive essence, delivering important improvements in patient and staff satisfaction, wellbeing and empowerment and the progress of stroke recovery 
• Gentle improvements could add tiers of recovery – such as halfway house care – better choice (but no compulsion) on participation and enhanced training for carers