Community services that offer Barking and Dagenham patients support in their own homes have been shortlisted for a national award.

Barking and Dagenham’s community treatment teams (CTTs) and intensive rehabilititation service (IRS) have both been shortlisted for a Health Service Journal Value Award in recognition of their efficiency and improvement.

CTT provides short term intensive care and support to allow people to be cared for in their own homes as well as helping people get home as soon as possible if they do need a short stay in hospital.

The IRS also enables patients to get as much support as possible in their own homes, including up to four home visits a day depending on their needs.

The services, provided by the North East London Foundation Trust, currently receive about 200 referrals a week and, of these, 90 per cent do not go on to be admitted to hospital.

Dr Waseem Mohi, chair of Barking and Dagenham Clinical Commissioning Group, and a local GP, said: “Nobody wants to spend time in hospital, and many patients can get better treatment, or recover more easily, with this help at home.

“We are making that support available for hundreds of people every week across our area so they can continue to live independent lives.

“By developing these services and bringing together health and social care, not only do patients get better care but, importantly, we are also helping reduce the pressure on local hospitals.”

Patient surveys also reveal that the services have been given the thumbs up by those who use them, with CTT averaging 8.7 out of 10 in terms of satisfaction and IRS averaging a nine.

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