Hotels in Dorset being used for non Covid-19 patients

As part of the efforts to help people get out of hospital when they are fit to do so, a new model is being launched in South Dorset.

The Best Western Hotel Rembrandt on Dorchester Road in Weymouth will be re-purposed during the coronavirus crisis. The hotel will offer 31 beds and will be staffed by Abi Live-In Care for people who are leaving hospital for reasons not related to coronavirus.

Using a model that has been proven in other areas, it will be used as a social care base for people who can’t go directly back to their own homes when they are medically fit to leave hospital and are waiting for a social care help and support package to be put in place.

It offers more capacity to the health and care system across the area and adds to our ability to respond to the current situation, keeping hospital beds available to support people with coronavirus. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is helping to get it set up as quickly as possible.

As the hotel-based care offer is not an extension of a hospital stay for medical reasons, it’s not appropriate to use other hospital settings, such as community hospitals.

The Hotel Rembrandt is taking its first admissions today, Monday 6 April. Technology Enabled Care, such as a call system, has been installed to assist people at the facility throughout the day and night. Mobile phones and tablets have also been provided to help people keep in touch with friends and loved ones.

Cllr Laura Miller, Portfolio Holder for adult social care and health at Dorset Council said:

“This a great success, showing the dedication of partners across the system to get this set up in just a few days. We’re hearing nationally about the shortage of hospital beds, and we want to be ahead of the curve by providing alternative solutions for people who are medically fit to leave.

“We can then make sure that the most critically ill people have access to the right help and support in hospitals at the right time.

“We also know that care and support in people’s homes is becoming increasingly difficult to find, so this hotel-based care provision will make sure anyone who can leave hospital can do so in a safe way, while we work with them to get the support they’ll need to return home.”

Admissions to the Hotel Rembrandt will be built up gradually over the coming days. Dorset Council and Abi Live-In Care staff will monitor the progress carefully and will build a better picture of the situation throughout the week.

The Grange Hotel at Oborne near Sherborne will be the second base to open offering support for people in the north of the county. They will be taking admissions from Monday 13 April.