Photo (L to R): features Geoff Loveday Caterham Rotary, Julie Cox Waitrose, Christina Chick The Dene Hospital, Marnie Cotterill, Tandridge Social Services & Jacqui Van Noort Floor Manager at Waitrose & Partners viewing the special bags and essential goods.)

A scheme aptly called Home from Hospital Packs has just been launched to provide support to predominately older people, being discharged from the Dene Hospital. It has been developed by a joint working group involving Caterham Rotary Club, the Tandridge Adult Social Care Team, and Waitrose Caterham. The need was identified by the Adult Social Care Team based at Caterham Dene hospital who had observed that a number of patients often living alone were arriving home without having the bare essentials of items like milk, tea, bread, breakfast cereal toothpaste etc.

A process has been set up where the hospital will advise both Caterham Rotary and Waitrose of a patient being discharged, and the aim will be to fill a special shopping bag straightaway and for the goods to be given to the person on discharge from the hospital.

Marnie Cotterill, Social Care Development Coordinator with Tandridge Social Care Team commented “we are really grateful to the Caterham Rotary Club and Waitrose & Partners for supporting this idea. It will really benefit those in need at a time when they may feel at their most vulnerable, and ensure a more comfortable first 24 hours following their discharge from hospital.”

Mel Few, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adults, said: “This is a great example of how working in partnership is benefiting people in Surrey and will really help those in need by making sure they feel comfortable on their return home from hospital.”

Rotarian Geoff Loveday said “We are really pleased to be able to support this initiative which has recognised a real need in our community.”