Shropshire Star

Housing can save NHS funding

A Shropshire charity says it can save the NHS more than £22,000 a week by allowing people with life-changing, physical disabilities, to leave hospital for supported accommodation.

Published

Oswestry's Transhouse, now renamed the Ethos Group, says it is responding to the increasingly complex changes in the health, housing and care sector for all wheelchair-users, not just those with spinal injuries.

Already working with local NHS hospitals it is hoping to expand across Wales and the Midlands and eventually, nationally.

Transhouse was established in 1993 to provide transitional housing for patients from the Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital.

It will continue to provide short-term specialised housing but will aim to expand into long term homes for all those with life-changing physical disabilities.

Chief executive Fae Dromgool said that the aim of Ethos was to provide the independent living skills people needed to allow them to live in a home of their own.

“Some clients come to us after discharge from hospital, others may be living in the community but in an unsuitable environment. They all share the goal of living in a home of their own,” she said.

It currently has three specialised properties in Oswestry which can accommodate up to 10 clients.

"The housing has the potential to save the NHS locally over £22,000 a week by allowing patients to leave hospital to continue their rehabilitation in supported accommodation. It also cut readmissions and avoided disabled people being admitted to unsuitable residential and nursing care beds."

The relaunched charity works closely with its clients, local NHS hospitals, local authorities and the care sector but is hoping to expand its work through the Welsh border area, into the West Midlands and eventually nationally.

"There have been massive changes to the funding of housing and social care for disabled people and the prevention work of the charity had become increasingly important.

“Helping our clients find their way through the housing and social care systems and supporting them in finding their own independence has become equally as important as providing specialist accommodation. The processes have become so much more complex over the last few years,” she said.

Further information about the work of Ethos Group Oswestry can be found at its website www.ethosgroup.co.uk.