Home First is at the heart of care in Greenwich — an approach designed to help people receive the care they need in their own home when it’s appropriate for them.
Home First was developed by listening to local residents and responding to what matters most to them — staying well and independent at home, for as long as possible. The approach shifts the focus away from keeping patients in hospital beds, and instead supports people to get better or stay well at home when it’s safe for them to do so.
Why Home First?
For many people — especially older adults and those living with long-term conditions — being cared for at home improves both physical and mental wellbeing. Research consistently shows that people recover faster, maintain more independence, and have better outcomes when they are supported in familiar surroundings.
Home First aims to:
What does Home First offer?
Home First services have been developed to ensure care at home is high-quality, safe, and tailored to individual needs. Key features include:
Meeting local needs
Greenwich is home to growing populations of older adults, many of whom have complex health and social care needs. Home First directly responds to these challenges by delivering joined-up care that supports people to live safely and independently at home.
Services are delivered by NHS organisations, Royal Borough and Greenwich, Community Hospice and local voluntary organisations. They include:
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 care
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.