START service goes primary

Kim Holt

The Waikato District Health Board Supported Transfer and Accelerated Rehabilitation Team (START) is moving to Northcare Primary Health on Pukete Rd on 11 June.

The START team is currently located at Waikato Hospital and is a service which promotes rehabilitation in the home, rather than in hospital.

START is made up of two components: admission avoidance and supported discharge, and tries to prevent hospital admission from the Emergency Department in the first place by providing appropriate seven-day support for patients in the home with normal services such as Meals on Wheels and Home Based Support Services.

The START team works with patients and their families to set rehabilitation goals, and develop a plan to reach those goals.

The team visits up to four times a day, seven days a week for up to six weeks, to provide rehabilitation for the patient.

“So while the move won’t directly affect patients as the care is offered in-home anyway, it provides an opportunity to strengthen the service’s links with primary care,” said Waikato DHB Disability Support Link manager Kim Holt.

“There will be no change to the service offered. START will continue to provide services to support discharge from hospital and avoid admission altogether with the aim of getting people well in their homes rather than in hospital.”

The same phone and fax numbers will remain for the next six months and patients will be notified directly when contact details do change.

A total of 665 patients have been cared for through the START service since inception two years ago.

ENDS

Contact:
Amy Thomsen
Communications Consultant
Waikato District Health Board
021 712 663

–