West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has offered her support to a pilot programme run by the British Red Cross who are helping the local NHS to discharge patients home faster. The British Red Cross is currently running a pilot scheme funded by NHS England to help frail patients and vulnerable adults as they leave hospital and return home. Volunteers from the charity help to transport patients, settle them at home and monitor them for 72 hours after discharge either with visits or phone calls. The pilot aims to help up to 150 patients to return home from hospital and it is on track to exceed that target. The British Red Cross met with Harriett last week to brief her on the pilot – which began in January - and to urge further investment in the scheme next winter. Harriett commented: “The NHS planned for winter pressure and one of the schemes that received backing was this one. British Red Cross volunteers do a great job throughout the year helping local people and I was interested to hear more details about this pilot scheme and the way it is helping our local NHS to cope with extra winter pressures. “Locally, the NHS has made great strides this winter making changes in the way it deals with the extra patients and two new units have been created to add extra capacity. “However, most patients want to get home as quickly as possible and this transition service is already helping to get more people out of hospital and back, recovering, in their home environment.” “I have agreed to write to Simon Stevens at NHS England to support the work of the British Red Cross locally and hope that this scheme carries on next winter.” Photo: At the British Red Cross HQ in Worcester (l-r) Debra Tritton, Lisa Allsopp, Harriett Baldwin MP and Val Williams.