Patients Guide to Community Hospital Transfer in Worcestershire (Out by 5 Pathway)

Patients Guide to Community Hospital Transfer

What are Community Hospital out by 5 wards?

These are wards in the community hospital, which can provide additional medical care, which has been commenced in the acute hospital setting but no longer needs the input of the acute medical teams to finish or continue the treatment

Why We Have Community Hospital out by 5 wards

Our wards:

• Provide the right care in the right place for your stage of recovery.
• Help free up busy hospital beds for people who need urgent treatment.
• Reduce long stays in acute hospitals, which can lead to muscle weakness and loss of independence.
• Offer a calmer, more supportive environment for recovery.

Where Are They?

We currently have two Wards in Worcestershire we refer in to:

Hospital & Ward	Number of Beds	Who We Care For
Cottage Ward, Princess of Wales Hospital, Bromsgrove	28	People recovering from hip/femur surgery (NOF pathway)
Malvern Community Hospital	24	General medical patients and People recovering from hip/femur surgery (NOF pathway)

Who Might Come to a Community Hospital out by 5 Ward?

You may be transferred here if:

• You are aged 65+ and have been in a general medical hospital bed.
• You have had hip or femur surgery and stayed in hospital for 5 days or less.
• You need more care than can be provided at home, but you don’t need to stay in an acute hospital.

Benefits for Patients

• Care in a more appropriate, less stressful setting.
• Ongoing rehabilitation support to help you return home sooner.
• Reduced risk of losing strength and mobility.
• Improved emotional wellbeing.
• Fairer access to high‑quality care for everyone.

Who Will Look After You?

Your care will be provided by:

• Medical l Team (GPs and Advanced Clinical Practitioners)
• Nurses and healthcare support workers
• Allied Health Professionals (such as physiotherapists and occupational therapists)

Medical responsibility will be with Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, with support from Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

When We Accept Patients

• We aim to transfer patients in a timely manner when the referral has been accepted at the community hospital.
• Transfers are planned so that you arrive when the right staff and services are available.

Who Cannot Be Admitted

Some patients need care that can only be provided in an acute hospital. You may not be admitted if you:

• Need urgent scans or procedures that can’t be done quickly in the community hospital.
• Require daily blood transfusions, complex mental health care, or specialist drug monitoring.
• Are unstable on certain critical medicines.
• Are under 18 years old.
• Have a condition that prevents you from starting rehabilitation.

(Your hospital team will check all criteria before transfer.)

Special Pathway: Hip and Femur Surgery (NOF Pathway)

You may be transferred if:

• Your surgery is complete.
• Your blood levels are stable.
• You are eating, drinking, and your pain is under control.
• You are ready to start rehabilitation.

You will not be transferred if:

• You still need surgery.
• You could safely go home with community support.
• Your condition is too unstable for transfer.

What to Expect

• Daily medical reviews.
• Access to scans and tests if needed.
• Rehabilitation therapy to help you get back to your usual activities.
• A focus on preparing you for a safe return home with ongoing support and rehabilitation as required.

Questions or Concerns?

If you or your family have questions about your transfer or care, please speak to:

• Your hospital doctor or nurse
• The ward manager at your community hospital

Patient Experience

We know that being admitted to hospital can be a difficult and unsettling time for you and your loved ones. If you have any questions or concerns, please do speak with a member of staff on the ward or in the relevant department who will do their best to answer your questions and reassure you. 

Feedback

Feedback is really important and useful to us – it can tell us where we are working well and where improvements can be made. There are lots of ways you can share your experience with us including completing our Friends and Family Test – cards are available and can be posted on all wards, departments and clinics at our hospitals. We value your comments and feedback and thank you for taking the time to share this with us.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

If you have any concerns or questions about your care, we advise you to talk with the nurse in charge or the department manager in the first instance as they are best placed to answer any questions or resolve concerns quickly. If the relevant member of staff is unable to help resolve your concern, you can contact the PALS Team. We offer informal help, advice or support about any aspect of hospital services & experiences.

Our PALS team will liaise with the various departments in our hospitals on your behalf, if you feel unable to do so, to resolve your problems and where appropriate refer to outside help.

If you are still unhappy you can contact the Complaints Department, who can investigate your concerns. You can make a complaint orally, electronically or in writing and we can advise and guide you through the complaints procedure.

How to contact PALS:

Telephone Patient Services: 0300 123 1732 or via email at: [email protected]

Opening times:

The PALS telephone lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.00pm. Please be aware that you may need to leave a voicemail message, but we aim to return your call within one working day.

If you are unable to understand this leaflet, please communicate with a member of staff.  

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