PATIENTS who leave hospital will now be provided with greater support when leaving hospital, following the creation of a new fund.

The NHS Hospital Discharge Support Fund was set up by the NHS in north Cumbria and is held by the Cumbria Community Foundation.

It will provide financial support of up to £300,000 to the charitable and community sectors to help people regain and maintain their independence at home and in the community once they are discharged from hospital.

Age UK West Cumbria, in partnership with Age UK Carlisle & Eden, has been awarded £176,942 to meet the current short-term need of patients leaving hospital with no support from family or friends.

The Well@Home project will provide four weeks of support, including transport, daily welfare calls, home checks, prescription collections, food, and basic supplies.

Jane Mindar, chief executive at Age UK West Cumbria, said: "By working together, we will be able to make a real difference to around 700 people between now and the end of March – by getting them home and safely settled into their homes rather than spending more time in hospital which can be quite distressing for people especially in the run up to Christmas."

Peter Rooney, chief operating officer for NHS North Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “Making sure patients leave hospital in a well-supported and timely way as soon as their medical treatment is complete is vital for lots of reasons.

"We don’t want patients in hospital longer than they need to be, we need to ensure those in hospital are those who have the most acute need, and people should be back in their own familiar surroundings as soon as they are well enough.

Dr Jenny Benson, director of programmes & partnerships at Cumbria Community Foundation, added: “As a community foundation, we are delighted to be able to support this funding to reach where it is most needed.

"By supporting valuable NHS and community projects, the fund will ease some of the strain on the NHS."