Hawkhurst House Short Stay Care Unit (SSCU)

For NHS, Social Care and self-funding patients requiring short term care (including nursing, respite or end of life care) until they are ready to move to their long term home

What does the Short Stay Care Unit (SSCU) do?

• The SSCU enables patients to be cared for in a caring, friendly environment more like their own home, not an acute hospital – “Home from Home”
• It makes patients more confident depending on their care needs
• A dedicated team and liaison manager assists with admissions to welcome patients into the unit and settle them in
• The SSCU professionally assesses their needs speedily and may have access to therapists, including access to a well-equipped gym
• Patients are supported to attend any necessary hospital appointments

How does the Short Stay Care Unit (SSCU) do this?

• The SSCU has dedicated professional staff tol meet the patient’s care needs including ensuring that there are qualified nurses on site 24 hours per day
• There is dedicated GP support to ensure high quality medical input is readily accessible, with physical attendance 3 days per week but readily available at other times
• The unit has high staffing levels with permanent care workers and no agency staff
• Referrals can be made as appropriate to external professionals such as dietician, speech and language therapy
• Patients have access to a well-equipped gym with a wide range of apparatus including treadmill, stairs and parallel bars if required
• A case officer dedicated to the PRU is employed by Kent County Council to help family and patients (including self-funders) with placements and funding benefits
• This greatly helps patients and their relatives make the right choice of placement for the individual
• The SSCU has a great reputation for being friendly, caring and homely which greatly helps patients feel safe and to engage with the therapies offered
• There is a great housekeeping team under the leadership of the manager with a sense of humour to ensure fun so that patients feel part of the family
• Friends and family are welcome to visit with extended visiting times especially for patients requiring end of life care
• Visitors have free access to refreshments
• Very accessible on-site parking
• Patients and their families are encouraged to make any suggestions that will improve the individual’s experience
• Hairdressing, chiropody and activities are offered with a dedicated wellbeing and hostess to spend time with every patient receiving high quality person-centred care
• The unit has a reputation for great home cooked food which encourages individuals to eat, promoting good nutrition
• The unit has very good feedback achieved by the unit with a 9.8/10 rating on carehome.co.uk

What does the Short Stay Care Unit (SSCU) look like?

Click the buttons on the diagram below.

All patients have large rooms with a kitchenette, 2 large comfortable chairs, a coffee table, call bell, telephone and their own ensuite wet rooms with their own toilet