A new purpose-built £5m intermediate care unit has officially opened.
Located on the grounds of North Manchester General Hospital to provide support and rehabilitation to patients needing additional support between a stay in hospital and returning home.
Andy Burnham, Mayor for Greater Manchester, officially opened the new unit unveiling a plaque and said: “Crumpsall Vale is what the 21st-century NHS should look like: a social model of care, built around the individual and breaking down barriers between health and social care. We want more of this in Greater Manchester.”
The new 24-bed unit constructed by Carefoot Plc, has a two-storey low-rise design and a welcoming homely feel for patients, featuring a sunken communal garden, a patient gym and a mock apartment to help patients adjust to home life again.
The unit has two floors, separated into three pods of 8 beds, 8 residential beds on the ground floor and 16 nursing beds on the lower ground floor.
The majority of patients who access intermediate care services are over 75 years of age and Crumpsall Vale provides an enhanced service for community patients who require a period of rehabilitation. It also supports patients who no longer need specialist acute hospital care and treatment, but who still need support within a community setting.
Crumpsall Vale offers patients support in the transition period between illness and recovery.
The service at Crumpsall Vale, which opened its doors to patients in November 2017, is designed to offer rehabilitation and support people with input from a multi-disciplinary team of dedicated professionals, including nurses, physios, occupational therapists, assistant practitioners, GPs, trainee nurse associates, podiatrists and social workers.
Tom Fletcher, 91, from Crumpsall, has been staying in the unit and receiving support for 10 days since being discharged from an inpatient ward at North Manchester General Hospital. Before a one-to-one physio session, Tom said: “It’s a brilliant place to be; I was quite poorly and feeling down in hospital but now I’m here I’m feeling much better and happier.”
Senior Physiotherapist, Daisy Lord said: “While Tom’s with us, he’s working hard on improving his balance and getting strong enough to return home. He’s used to living independently before he was admitted to hospital and now he just needs a bit of support to get his strength back. While he’s with us he can join in with exercise classes, and make his own tea at our breakfast club.”
