'˜Red Bag' scheme introduced in care homes across Portsmouth area

A NEW scheme aims to make transferring care home residents to hospitals in an emergency quicker.

Care homes across Portsmouth and surrounding areas are part of the Red Bag scheme which involves keeping important information about a resident’s health in one place, making it easily accessible to ambulance and hospital staff.

The project is being paid for by Portsmouth Better Care Fund and Fareham and Gosport and south eastern Hampshire clinical commissioning groups (CCGs).

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In Portsmouth, 109 red bags are being used while a further 82 are available in 29 homes across Havant, Fareham and Gosport.

The bags contain information about the resident’s general health, existing medical conditions, medication they are taking and highlights any current health concerns.

They also have room for personal belongings.

When patients are ready to go home, a copy of their discharge summary is put in the red bag for care home staff to access.

Campbell Todd, head of integrated care for the CCGs, said: ‘The Red Bag scheme has made a big difference in other areas where it has been used.

‘With forms for every patient, the handover to ambulance crew should be more efficient and the process of transferring patients from the care home to hospital faster.’