A scheme aimed to find solutions to free up hospital beds and make sure patients receive the right level of care could be trialled in Warwickshire

The Department of Health and Social Care has announced six areas across the country will be trialling the programme, with the county one of frontrunners.

Local health and social care partners have been working on an initiative to enable patients in an acute hospital in Warwickshire, who need further support, to access timely therapeutic care on discharge.

A new Hospital Discharge Community Support Service will aim to reduce the length of stay in hospitals to maximise the number of patients who could be at home.

The programme will also be looking to define and design what an NHS care provider arm could look like.

Glen Burley, chief executive at South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust and George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust said: "Demand on health and social care services is at an all-time high, the pressures experienced in the last month have demonstrated how we need to look at doing things differently.

"In Warwickshire we are keen to try new ways of working and really recognise the benefit of working in a joined up way with our local authority partners, so it is fantastic we are one of the frontrunners to lead this important programme of work.

"We are extremely passionate about supporting our local communities to recover and maximise their health and wellbeing outcomes."

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Cllr Margaret Bell, portfolio holder for adult social care and health at Warwickshire County Council added: "We are proud to be working with our health partners to support Warwickshire residents to access the support they need, following a stay in hospital.

"This new programme will allow patients to return to a more familiar environment while they recover and continue to receive the care they need through tailored rehabilitation and recovery services."