Temporary bed unit for patients leaving hospital in Leeds could stay open longer
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The 15-bed facility at Colton, in east Leeds, was first opened in January on an initial three-month pilot, before that was extended until this coming July.
The so-called “step down” service looks after patients who are medically fit to leave hospital, but either still need some form of help or are waiting to be transferred to a care home.
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Hide AdLeeds health chiefs said last month that bed-blocking, where typically older patients are stuck in hospital because they can’t go home without further support, was one of the NHS’ biggest challenges.
A decision on whether or not to extend the service, which is run out of a leased unit at the privately-run Colton Lodges Nursing Home, will be made next month.
But a council report said keeping the facility open for another nine months after July would “cover winter pressures and ongoing pressures in the system”.
It said: “The temporary service at Elmet House (Colton Lodges) commenced on January 10 2022 for an initial three-month pilot and is providing 15 step-down beds to facilitate timely hospital discharges and prevent hospital admissions.