hertfordshire partnership nhs foundation trust host families hpft’s host families scheme health...

Hertfordshire PartnershipNHS Foundation Trust

Host Families

HPFT’s Host Families Scheme

Health and Wellbeing Board: Provider Engagement

11February 2013

John Lavelle-Service Line Lead


What is a Host Family?

Any family (in conjunction with mental health professionals) that can offer a supportive home environment to a service user in an acute phase of mental ill health as an alternative to acute inpatient care.


Host families’ key Aims• To develop a service that is

recovery orientated and offers choices to service users who are experiencing an episode of acute mental ill health.

• Provide a least restrictive alternative to admission that is person centred, therapeutic, safe and cost effective.

• Reduce mental heath stigma.• Maintain connections with

society.


What We Did

• Visited a Host Family Scheme in Lille, France and gained their support in developing the HPFT model.

• Worked in partnership with key stakeholders; service users, carers and clinicians in developing the scheme.

• Recruited Host Families and developed a support network for them.

• Built the confidence of local clinicians in the efficacy of the Host Family scheme.

• Commissioned an independent evaluation.


Progress So Far

• 5 Families have been recruited and inducted.• 4 families being recruited.• 14 Service users have chosen placements as an

alternative to hospital. • Early feedback has been excellent .

• Increased referral rates for Host Family placements as clinicians become confident in the scheme.


Service Improvement • Offers choice to service users experiencing acute mental

ill health.• Provides a personalised and de-institutional approach to

acute mental healthcare.• Offers 24 hour support within a safe, community based

environment.• A cost effective alternative to inpatient care.• Delivers good clinical outcomes. • Excellent service user feedback .


Host Families Service User Feedback

• Dean was asked, what were the benefits of being placed with a host family?

• “It changed a lot of aspects of my thinking. You don’t think you’ll ever be in that situation [the ward]. All of a sudden you are in this deep big hole, and then when I was in the host family I was above ground. I was happier – talking to someone who will listen to you all the while. I would say that it saved me. … If I had left the ward and gone straight back home I would have deteriorated again, without a shadow of a doubt.”


Aspirations For The Future • Role out the scheme across all of

Hertfordshire so that service users will have the choice of a Host Family in their area.

• Provide a significant alternative to inpatient care that will deliver efficiencies in acute care pathway.

• Promote this model to other trusts through conferences, posters, publications and winning this award!


Any Questions or Comments

?

hertfordshire partnership nhs foundation trust host families hpft’s host families scheme health...

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