CLOSER working between a care provider and NHS Dorset has seen an increase in the use of specialist spaces for patients being discharged from hospital.

But more could be achieved by better awareness of how the system works – according to the boss of Care Dorset, the wholly owned adult care arm of Dorset Council.

Managing director Chris Best told councillors that although the situation was improving there needed to be a better understanding of how reablement beds could be used to speed up the discharge of medically-fit patients.

Care Dorset has recently added 30 reablement beds, supporting 147 people and saving nearly 3,000 hospital bed days.

Mr Best told councillors that there had been days when some of the reablement beds were empty which he described as 'frustrating.'

"Many people in the health care system still don't seem to understand what reablement is… we do still have a job to do in explaining what is there and how it works," he said.

He said that by having colleagues working within local hospitals and sitting in on meetings at the point where discharges were being discussed there had already been an improvement in the take-up of reablement spaces.

Councillors were told that the average stay in a reablement setting was six weeks during which time those using the service would be re-introduced to cooking and personal care, possibly being taught new methods of doing things, before going home or to another care setting. For some that might mean having care put in place at their home for a further period of time, with the aim of reducing it when possible.