A Sefton Council-owned residential care home is set to play an important role in helping to reduce the pressure on local hospital beds at busy times.

James Dixon Court on Harrops Croft in Netherton will provide care to enable older patients to vacate beds after treatment prior to returning home, and also to prevent them needing to go into hospital in the first place.

The development is a partnership between New Directions who operate the care home, Sefton Council and NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

It is part of a relaunch of James Dixon Court, a purpose-built, 30-bed home for the over 65s which New Directions took over from another operator in February last year.

The new arrangement was officially unveiled at an event at the home this week attended by representatives of the partner organisations and other healthcare professionals.

Commenting on the development New Directions Managing Director, Mark Fox, said: “The issue of older patients occupying hospital beds due to a lack of suitable care elsewhere is one of the most serious challenges facing the NHS, especially during the busy winter months.

“Thanks to some innovative joint working between Sefton Council who have
commissioned the service, the CCG and New Directions, from now on James Dixon Court’s facilities will help to ease the problem.

“It’s good news for our local hospitals and good news for patients who can leave hospital sooner and recover, rehabilitate in a homely, supportive and caring environment.”

The services provided by James Dixon Court will include transition beds - allowing
patients to leave hospital earlier and receive extra care prior to returning home – and also providing patients with short-term care rather than them being admitted to hospital.

James Dixon Court will also continue to offer long-term accommodation to some residents, while also providing reablement beds which will help patients to regain their life skills and confidence, and thus to return home and continue living independently.

Speaking at the relaunch event, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Cllr Paul Cummins, offered a warm welcome to the development.

He said: “We are very proud of this joint initiative between Sefton Council, New Directions and our CCG heath colleagues for the benefit of Sefton residents.

Along with offering high-quality support to older residents, we will ensure that vulnerable people do not have to make long-term decisions about their future care from a hospital bed.

Although this new service has only been up and running for a few weeks it has already had an impact on delayed transfers of care, and everyone involved will now be working very hard to make sure it goes from strength to strength.”

Fiona Taylor, Chief Officer of NHS South Sefton CCG, said: “The development is a really good example of how our Shaping Sefton vision for more joined-up working between health and social care is starting to make a real difference to the lives of some of our most vulnerable residents, so they can be cared for in the right place at the right time.”