Urgent Response Service
Information for patients and the public
Key points
Staff from Southampton City Council and Solent NHS Trust will be working as part of the same team.
We can help you for a few days or several weeks.
What can I expect from the Urgent Response Service? The Urgent Response Service is designed to help you stay at home. This can be when you have an emergency with your health or social care needs or to assist you back to independence. Perhaps you have a new health need, or a change in your social circumstances, and need immediate support. The Urgent Response Service can help you wash and dress, take your medication, assist with diet and fluids and encourage you to regain independence at home. We offer a service to adults over the age of 18 and those registered with a Southampton City GP or live within the Southampton City boundary. You might be referred into the team by your GP, health or social care professional. The team consists of health and social care staff including: *Nurses *Occupational Therapists *Care co-ordinators
*Physiotherapists *Rehabilitation staff *Care Managers *Consultants in Older Persons Care The team can only give you an approximate time for when they will see you as staff work across the whole city. Urgent response staff work between 7am and 10pm, 7 days a week. The service can be offered to you from one day to six weeks depending on your individual needs. We will then discuss with you whether you would benefit from further support from our rehabilitation team or ongoing care from a social services team. We offer a night service which is available between 10pm to 7am for those who meet the specific criteria.
The Southampton city wide team for health and social care emergencies and hospital discharge.
Key points
We can help you wash and dress and take your medicine.
You can call us on: 023 8044 3044. 023 8083 3768 You cannot self-refer to the service but will need a referral from a health professional or for the domiciliary/reablement service a referral will need to be made to the Southampton City Council Single Point of Access
How we can help
Whilst we are working with you we may offer the following:
an in depth assessment of your needs
provision of appropriate equipment and adaptations to support independence or advice about self-purchase
input from health staff so you can remain well at home
advice on health and well being
support with your personal care needs
information and advice on how to stay as independent as possible.
Our staff will visit you in your own home. The frequency and length of visits will alter during your time with the service as your needs change, although we would normally expect to work with you for a maximum of six weeks.
Will I have to pay?
You will not be required to pay for your health care needs as part of rehabilitation, however some equipment we recommend require self- purchase.
If you require ongoing help with your personal/social care needs then you will be asked to undertake a financial assessment. This will determine your possible contribution towards your personal budget. Personal budgets are a way of being more in control of arranging the social care services you need.
What happens when the
service ends?
Once your agreed goals have been met then we will write to your GP to advise them of this, and you will be discharged from the team.
If we have referred you on to Social Care services for support in accessing a personal budget, then once your care as agreed in the support plan is working well, we will then discharge you from the team.
Have your say
We are always looking at how we can make life easier for the people we see.
If possible, please talk to the staff working with you to resolve any issues. Or you can contact the team office on 023 8044 3044 and ask to speak to the Clinical Manager or Team Manager.
