Council-run Dove House aims to help patients regain their independence before they return home
A new intermediate care unit has officially opened in Bolton. The Dove House unit is based at the existing Mill View resident care home in Great Lever. While the care home is operated by Advinia Health Care, the unit is being run by the local council as an extension to its current intermediate care services.
Attendees at the official opening of Dove House intermediary care unit, photo courtesy of Bolton Council
The Dove House unit will support people who have come home from hospital but require further assessment of their care needs, without them having to wait around in hospital. The hope is that this will mean more people can be supported to return home rather than having to move into long-term residential care.
What’s more, the unit can serve as an alternative to hospital admission where a patient needs additional care for just a short period to enable them to return home. That’s good because studies suggest that extended stays in hospital can lead to increased risk developing an infection or of losing strength and mobility.
To develop this new model of intermediary care through Dove House, the council has worked in collaboration with NHS Bolton Foundation Trust and NHS Greater Manchester ICB.
Cllr Sean Fielding, Executive Member for Adults and Housing at Bolton Council, says: ‘It is great to see this service officially open as we know that intermediate care has a massive impact on people’s recovery and helps them to regain independence and confidence. Dove House will help people return to and remain living in their own home for longer, which is important at this time given the demands on our care home services.
‘This is all about improving the care for local people and providing them with the best possible outcomes and experiences while they need support and assistance.’
Rachel Tanner, Director of Adult Services (DASS), Communities & Integration at Bolton Council, adds: ‘A huge amount of work has gone into opening Dove House – not only by council staff but also our partners across Bolton, especially the support from Advinia Health Care – and I would like to thank all those involved. Dove House is testing a new medical model to reduce the number of readmissions to hospital to provide better outcomes for the people of Bolton. It is essential that we develop a high-quality rehabilitative service which best uses the resources we have available, and which prevents or delays admissions into long term residential care.’
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