Who is Home First for? How to contact the Home First team INTRODUCING If you are over 18 years old and are registered with Once you are placed under the care a GP at one of the following surgeries in Hertsmere, of Home First , you or your carers can HOME FIRST you may be able to access the Home First Service. contact the team if you have any You will need to be referred into the service by your queries, or concerns. GP, Ambulance service, A&E, Out of Hours service Information for patients or other health or social care professional. The contact hours are 8:00am to 10:00pm seven days a week .  Annandale Surgery, Potters Bar.  Fairbrook Medical Centre, Borehamwood Telephone: 01707 621157  Highview Medical Centre, Potters Bar.  Little Bushey Surgery, Bushey. Email: [email protected]  Parkfield Medical Centre, Potters Bar  Schopwick Surgery, Bushey and Elstree If you need urgent medical help outside  The Grove Medical Centre, Borehamwood of these hours, please call 111 or in an  The Redhouse Group, Radlett emergency, dial 999 .  Theobald Medical Centre, Borehamwood Comments or complaints Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) ‘‘It was such an excellent service and was just Tel: 0800 011 6113 hyper efficient. I did not need to define who www.hertschs.nhs.uk did what, as in your team they would just tell each other what needed doing - it took the burden away from me. Overall, everyone treated me in a way that showed they were interested in me as a person and I would give the whole service 10 out of 10”

A new service supporting Hertfordshire Community n n NHS Trust patients in their homes Herts Valley Clinical Commissioning Group Do you have to go to hospital too Home First ’s experienced team includes doctors, Once your situation or condition has been often due to long term health problems nurses, social workers, matrons, therapists, stabilised, you will be discharged from the or social care problems that could be administrators and home care workers who service. Depending on your circumstances, have years of experience, caring for patients the Home First team may refer you on, to other managed in your own home? with long term health and care problems in health, social care or voluntary services that If so, Home First could be for you. their own homes. can provide the support and care you need. Your GP will be kept fully informed of your What is Home First ? The team works closely with your GP and progress while you are under the care of other professionals and organisations such as Home First is a new integrated way of providing Home First ; they will also be informed when Age UK, Meals on Wheels, Crossroads and you are discharged from the service. health and social care services for patients Carers in Herts, who are there to help and registered with a GP in the Hertsmere locality. support you at home. It involves health professionals (doctors, nurses, What part do you play? therapists) and social care professionals (social How does Home First work? The Home First Team will always put you workers, home care workers) working together and your carer at the centre of your care, as one team, enabling you to receive the right You will need to be referred into the service encouraging you to play a key role in care, at the right time and in your own home by your GP, Ambulance service, A&E or other improving your health. To get the best rather than being admitted to hospital. health or social care professional. Once you outcomes for you, we need you to work have been referred to Home First , the team with us to develop your care plan and to Home First aims to prevent people with long- will contact you to arrange a suitable time follow the advice and treatment plans set term health problems or those in a health or to visit you in your home. If your needs are by the team: for example physio exercises, social care crisis from being admitted to urgent we will aim to be with you within taking your medication appropriately or hospital unnecessarily. The Home First team the hour. During our visit we will carry out using the equipment provided. will work with you and your carer to design a a full assessment of your health and social care plan that meets your own health and care needs and together with you and social care needs and you will only be your carer develop a care plan that meets referred to hospital if the care that you need your needs. You carer will also be offered “The service responded quickly and supported cannot be safely provided in your own home. a carers assessment if appropriate. As well us both during a very difficult time when my as supporting people with urgent needs husband’s carer was hospitalised. This service Home First focuses on prevention, providing also enabled my son to return to work” you with the support you need to manage your condition better. You may therefore be referred to Home First even if you haven’t got any urgent health and social care needs.