A NEW scheme by a major care company and a Hampshire-based clinical commissioning group is aiming to tackle the issue of bed blocking and create up to 50 jobs at the same time.

Bluebird Care and the NHS West Hampshire CCG have launched a new JET Service to solve the problem at The Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester and the Andover War Memorial Hospital.

Both hospitals are experiencing major issues caused by people staying in hospital longer than is clinically needed, when they don't have a support network at home.

The Bluebird Care JET Service has been designed to help keep people out of hospital in the first instance by putting emergency care in place in the community where patients would otherwise be admitted to hospital.

Bluebird Care and local health care professionals such as GP’s and District Nurses have joined together to deliver the same level of care in a patient’s own home.

The Winchester and Eastleigh GP surgeries involved include Friarsgate Practice, St Pauls Surgery, St Clements Surgery, Twyford Surgery and Stokewood Surgery.

Owner & Managing Director of Bluebird Care Normal Murphy said: “We’re thrilled to be the first to do this and anticipate that our new Bluebird Care JET Service will be a huge success for the people of Winchester, Eastleigh and Andover.

“Not only will we provide instant care to elderly and vulnerable people in our local area, but we will provide the massive benefit of helping to relieve the bed blocking pressure that currently exists across the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester and the Andover War Memorial Hospital due to being at maximum capacity.

“The Bluebird Care JET Service will reduce admissions for these hospitals which will mean there are more free beds and staff on hand to help those that really need it, leaving us as the home care experts to look after those with less serious issues in their own home.

“We believe our expertise and award winning home care services make us the perfect partner to work alongside the NHS and we look forward to this new partnership.”

Director at Mid-Hampshire Healthcare, Philip Heiden said: “We are delighted to be working with Bluebird Care who will be providing vital assistance to our NHS hospitals and GP surgeries.

“It has long been known that with correct community social care support, thousands of people that are unnecessarily admitted to hospital can be cared for just as well, if not better, in their own homes and Bluebird Care were the perfect partner to deliver this.”