Families in Bucks urged to help relatives come home from hospital for Christmas

People in Buckinghamshire are being urged to support their loved ones to leave hospital and come home in time for Christmas.

Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust says there are some patients in hospital who no longer need to be there, but they are not able to return home to continue their recovery without some support lined up to help with things like washing, dressing, shopping, cooking and cleaning.

Not having this support in place delays their return home and leads to a shortage of beds for others who are in urgent need of hospital treatment.

This can result in ambulances having to wait outside A&E department while a hospital bed is found, wasting valuable time that paramedics could be spending responding to other 999 calls in the community.

Chief executive of Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust, Neil Macdonald, said: “Nobody wants to spend longer in hospital than they need to, not least around the festive period.

"And we know that our patients recover faster if they are in their own homes in a more comfortable and familiar setting.

"If you have a relative or loved one in hospital who is well enough to go home but is waiting to be discharged with home care and community health support, you may be able to help them to get home more quickly if you and your family are in a position to support them at home.

"Please speak to the ward manager or nurse in charge if this is something you can help with.”

A spokesman for the healthcare trust added: "The trust is also working closely with social care colleagues across the county in a bid to help as many people as possible to safely return home in time for Christmas."