Hospital and community healthcare teams can take advantage of an innovative solution to meeting the requirements of The Government’s new Hospital Discharge Service: Policy & Operating Model.
The Model maintains that 35% of people will require an ongoing package of care, and 45% to be discharged with up to six weeks’ recovery support from health & social services. AAT GB has responded to the need, and NHS/social care budgetary constraints, with a hire facility for its range of stairclimbers.
Under the package, a stairclimber can be provided, with appropriate training, for as short a duration as a week. This enables the person to be transferred throughout their home without the need to re-arrange the whole house to provide, for example, a downstairs bed , or discharge to be delayed as there is no accessible downstairs WC.
“One of the biggest problems in getting people home, safely, is the suitability of their home if they have reduced mobility,” says AAT Director Peter Wingrave. “They may need a wheelchair some or all of the time. How do they then access their bedroom, bathroom? The traditional route is to delay whilst an adaptation is provided.
“Taking an innovative approach- providing a stairclimber- delivers a best value solution. It allows the person to be discharged with safe, appropriate means of accessing all floors of their home, on the proviso there is someone else at home to assist. A significant proportion of people only need that help for the short term, so hiring is a fast, efficient answer.”
German-engineered AAT stairclimbers offer the greatest flexibility on the market, accommodating all shapes and sizes, from paediatric to morbidly obese (230kg) passengers. They can accommodate narrow and even spiral flights of stairs. Options feature an integral seat eliminating the need for a wheelchair indoors, or can clip-fix to a wheelchair if preferred.
Most local authorities already have AAT stairclimbers in their equipment stores, as the system can be endlessly re-issued when no longer needed by an individual. However, with the increased demand, stock may not be available. As part of the hire package, AAT will supply a COVID compliant staiclimber, ensure all seating and supports are adjusted to the individual person, and train the operative. Find out more: https://www.aatgb.com/hire-rental/ or by telephoning 01978 821875, or visiting www.aatgb.com and using the Live Chat facility at the bottom of the home page.
