Senior leaders from NHS Lanarkshire recently visited Blantyre LIFE to witness first-hand the exceptional service being delivered in supporting people to be ready to return home.
The visit reinforced the vital role of collaboration and innovation in delivering person-centred care, ultimately improving outcomes for local people.
Leading the walk round was Professor Soumen Sengupta, Chief Officer of South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership. He was joined by NHS Lanarkshire Interim Chief Executive Colin Lauder, Board Vice Chair Alastair Boyle MBE, and Non-Executive Directors Lesley McDonald and Donald Reid.
Blantyre LIFE is a pioneering housing and care campus that champions the ‘home for life’ principle, focusing on enabling individuals to live as independently as possible within their own homes.
The facility features a 20-bed intermediate care unit alongside 20 new technology-enabled homes, all equipped with state-of-the-art telecare systems designed to support independent living. All the patients coming to the unit were previously identified in hospital as requiring support to facilitate discharge and unsafe to return home without support.
Professor Sengupta said: “These are extremely challenging times for health and social care and for the communities we serve. Blantyre LIFE, and our commitment to the home-first approach, is one example of how increasingly sophisticated care is being delivered, compassionately, in the heart of our communities.
“Blantyre LIFE is a testament to the collaborative efforts of South Lanarkshire Council, NHS Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership in reducing reliance on long-term nursing and residential care.
“This outstanding facility also plays a crucial role in contribution to the wider range of actions being undertaken to improve unscheduled care and tackle delayed discharges. My sincere thanks go to all the colleagues who have worked tirelessly to bring this exceptional service to life for the benefit of the entire South Lanarkshire community.”
NHS Lanarkshire Interim Chief Executive Colin Lauder said: “It was inspiring to see first-hand the positive impact Blantyre LIFE is having on people’s lives. The dedicated staff are clearly committed to promoting independence that makes a real difference in our communities, ensuring that individuals can safely return to their own homes as soon as possible.”
Board Vice Chair Alastair Boyle MBE added: “It was a real privilege to visit Blantyre LIFE, I was really struck by how personalised the care was and the enormous difference it makes to patients. The building and technology are superb but the real magic is in how the services are delivered and how incredibly caring and dedicated the team are.”
During the visit, board members had the opportunity to speak directly with staff delivering this vital service and hear heart-warming stories from service users about the positive impact of Blantyre LIFE on their lives.
