Congratulations to Leicester City Council and Northamptonshire County Council who were both regional winners in the Health and Social Care Awards. Leicester City Council was the winner in the Support for Independence category. In partnership with colleagues from NHS Leicester City, the Council has developed a re-ablement scheme to provide support for people that reduces dependency after hospital discharge and also uses occupational and physiotherapy to help people regain lost skills. Up to half the people who join the six-week scheme need no further care input.

Northamptonshire County Council won the regional award for Success in Partnership Working with their "Think Home First Project". They have gone on to win not only the national award in this category but also the Winner of Winners award out of all the finalists. The project is an integrated discharge team, which is managed by a council manager and includes staff from the hospital, PCT community services, council, CMHT and they work with a voluntary sector hospital to home scheme. As well as reducing the length of stay in hospital, the team has been driving a culture to support people to return to their own home when they are discharged from hospital.

Visit the website at:
http://www.institute.nhs.uk/hsca/national/_content/2010_national_winners_and_finalists.aspx