Heartbeat December 2019

Keeping our local communities
safe and well
Teaming up with West Midlands Fire
Service, members of our inpatient
therapy team have helped to bring Safe
and Well Checks to our Trust. Working
together, the two areas have been able
to introduce a formal referral pathway
that will help our most vulnerable
patients.
Safe and Well Checks are an initiative carried
out by West Midlands Fire Service. Free of
charge, they are designed to help people
stay safe in their homes. As an organisation,
we can also refer patients that are bedbound,
have reduced mobility or that are
limited to the upstairs of their property. This
allows the fire service to flag individuals on
their system as ‘at risk’ if a fire breaks out in
their home.
The visits are carried out by operational
firefighters. Based at 38 community fire
stations, the checks usually take around an
hour. The fire service aims to complete these
checks within 72 hours of discharge. Possible
indications for a referral may include but are
not limited to:
• Smoking, alcohol, medication and
drugs
• Mental health
Members of the occupational therapy team with
West Midlands Fire Service
• Cognitive, visual or sensory
impairments
• Mobility including slips, trips
and falls
• Hoarding
• Loneliness and social isolation
• Healthy eating and lifestyle
• Home security/fire checks/monoxide
detector and alarm fitting
• Road safety
The partnership aims to ensure vulnerable
patients receive as much support as possible
CORPORATE AND GENERAL
NEWS
when returning to their homes. Jannine
Hall, Occupational Therapist explains:
“This is the first time we’ve introduced
the Safe and Well Checks to our
organisation and so far it’s going well.
Working closely with West Midlands Fire
Service means we can further develop our
links to the local communities in which
we work. The service helps to make
homes safer by preventing trips, slips
and falls which otherwise may result in
readmissions.”
West Midlands Fire Service commented:
“It was good to see the positive
interaction between all parties in support
of a common vision. Thank you all for
your help – we look forward to working
with you all more closely.”
You can get a copy of the referral
form from jannine.hall@nhs.net.
Please send all completed forms to
westmidlands.fireservice@nhs.net.
Proud sponsor of
15