Engagement - News and Updates

We believe people are at the heart of everything we do and should be involved in the commissioning of services. Helping to improve or change aspects of healthcare that affect you and your loved ones. We are in the process of re-designing our D2A service and want to work collaboratively with people across Somerset. This will ensure that we provide safe, effective, high-quality services that meet the needs and wishes of our population.

 

The Somerset Discharge to Assess Service (D2A) was developed to help people return home from hospital more quickly.

 

The service is jointly managed by health and social care and patients are supported at home by our team of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, therapy assistants and our care provider teams. It offers a range of services that help people regain independence after being in hospital. The team will work with people to understand and advise on longer term care and support needs (such as assistance with personal care) if required. They work closely with adult social care, the voluntary sector and other services to help people navigate longer term care, informal support or further rehabilitation as required.

 

The service receives referrals for people who are in acute hospitals and people who are in community hospitals and other rehabilitation units that could be in care home settings. The service is for people who live in Somerset - the service is county wide, but our team work in clusters groups to support geographical areas.

 

On average people spend around 17 days on the service however this can be as little as one day and is dependent on the persons goals and recovery aims.

 

Why are we asking for opinions now ?

 

The integrated Health and Care strategy for Somerset 2023-2028 identified through patient engagement that there were two key areas that were important to them: I want to receive care in my own home and I want services to be local to me.

 

One of the key aims for the NHSE Priorities and Planning Guidance 2025 /26 is:

To reduce the length of stay in hospitals by ensuring people are cared for in the most appropriate setting.

 

The D2A service is one of the key teams to support these aims. We have seen an increase in demand which is forecasted to continue. We need a service that has the capacity to meet that demand whilst ensuring we provide high quality, timely, efficient, integrated and coordinated care.

 

The survey closes on Friday 20 June 2025.