An innovative new service for older people living with frailty in Solihull has secured its future after a successful three month trial.

The Frailty Advice and Support Team (FAST) was set up at Solihull Hospital in October 2017 to offer better care to older people living with frailty while ensuring only necessary admissions to hospital.

Now NHS Birmingham and Solihull CCG has awarded permanent funding to the project, and this means it can now recruit to a full team and be rolled out to all GPs in the Solihull area.

Caption: Members of the Frailty Advice and Support Team

In Solihull we are improving the way we support people leaving hospital (from Solihull and Birmingham Heartlands). Some people stay in hospital longer than they need and it isn’t good for them. We want to ensure that people can return home safely with the right support in place for them, their families and carers. Health and social care teams in the community and in the hospitals are working together in Solihull to make this happen. This new approach is called SupportUHome.

Jenny Wood, Director of Adult Care and Support at Solihull Council and Jonathan Brotherton, Director of Operations at Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust are leading SupportUHome. Below they explain why this new approach is needed, how it will make a difference and celebrate an early SupportUHome success story.

Nick Page, Chief Executive of Solihull Council, has recently taken over as Chair of the Solihull Together Programme Board. 

Here he shares his views about the programme, its importance to the borough and some of the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Dame Caroline Spelman, Member of Parliament for the Meriden Constituency visited the new Urgent Primary Care service at Solihull Hospital. Following the closure of the temporary Walk-In Centre building on Solihull Hospital site last October, the new service has been located alongside the Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) - a move which brought Solihull’s urgent care services under one roof.