People in Greenwich and Bexley are being supported to be cared for in their homes where possible through the Home First approach.
The approach has been developed to meet the health and care needs of local people by providing care at home, or in a community setting, to reduce the number of patients being admitted to and remaining in hospital.
The aim is to improve social care and health outcomes for our residents.
Home First addresses the increasing demands on local health and care services of a growing number of Greenwich and Bexley residents who are older and increasingly have more than one health need alongside social care needs.
Many people – especially older people and those with a long-term illness – require regular health and care in both acute and community settings. Research has shown that it is generally much better for most people’s mental and physical wellbeing to be supported in their own home.
Home First was established in Greenwich and Bexley in 2020 and built on a number of separate initiatives to enable people to have their health and care support provided at home, whenever appropriate to their individual needs. It was developed through listening to what mattered to local residents.
Previously the system had been primarily based around patients being in hospital beds, and discharges were largely driven by hospital bed capacity. Home First has reversed this approach to discharging patients and moved towards a ‘first priority as home’ ethos.
Over the last four years there has been significant investment in a number of Home First schemes that are gearing up to enabling people to receive the highest quality care in their own homes, where this is the best option for their health and social care need or condition.
These include virtual wards that allow patients to get hospital-level care at home safely and in familiar surroundings that help speed up their recovery, and reablement teams that provide care which supports patients to relearn how to do daily activities, like cooking meals and washing.
Some of the services that comes under Home First are listed below
The Community Rehabilitation and Short-Term Assessment Team (CRSTAT) works together with Greenwich Council. They provide community-based assessment, rehabilitation and prevention services for people over 18.
Find out more, including how to refer to the services on the Community rehabilitation and short term assessment team
The Joint Emergency Team (JET) assesses people who are aged 18 and over in their own homes.
You can find out more, including about referral, on the Joint Emergency Team
Greenwich Adult Single Point of Access (SPA) is a first point of contact for patients and referrers accessing Oxleas adult community services across Greenwich, and for all new referrals from GPs in the borough of Greenwich.
The team is the central contact for screening and signposting, they can help guide queries/referrals to ensure patients are guided to the right service at the right time.
You can find out more, including about how to get a referral to this service, on the Greenwich Adult Single Point of Access for adult community service
Greenwich Adult Single Point of Access (SPA) is a first point of contact for patients and referrers accessing Oxleas adult community services across Greenwich, and for all new referrals from GPs in the borough of Greenwich.
The team is the central contact for screening and signposting, they can help guide queries/referrals to ensure patients are guided to the right service at the right time. It covers referrals for the following services:
Find out more, including how to refer to the services on the Greenwich Adult Single Point of Access for adult community services
These are run with voluntary sector partners in Bexley and Greenwich. They enable people to get support earlier and prevent further deterioration.
Find out more, including how to refer to the services on the Mental Health Hubs
This multidisciplinary team supports people in community clinics and at home to manage heart conditions with education and support.
Find out more, including how to refer to the services on the Heart failure services
Diabetes services work closely with acute hospital partners so that there is continuity of care from hospital to home.
Find out more, including how to refer to the services on the Diabetes services
Community adult learning disability teams provide intensive support where people live and reduce the need for hospital admission.
Find out more, including how to refer to the services on the Adult learning disability services
Working jointly with London Ambulance Service, Oxleas runs an urgent community response car which enables community health staff to respond direct to emergency calls and reduce the need for people to go into hospital.
Find out more, including how to refer to the services on the Urgent community response car
This community clinic in Horn Park in on a housing estate which has poor travel links to health services. Alongside other community and council services, specialist nurses from Oxleas provide support for long term conditions and sexual health advice and treatment.
Find out more, including how to refer to the services on the The Source
This online patient portal is provided by Oxleas so that people can manage their care records and appointments, get information and connect with their care team.
Find out more, including how to refer to the services on the Oxcare
Oxleas uses virtual reality in a variety of its services including supporting long-term patients in our offender healthcare services to develop new skills and helping people understand conditions such as psychosis and ADHD.