Cumberland Council has bought 4 WashPod temporary disabled wet rooms from Dignity Access, using funding awarded by the local Health & Wellbeing Board for hospital discharge.  The LA Discharge Fund is part of the Better Care Funding grant stream and has allowed the purchase of two Internal Mini WashPods and two Internal Compact WashPods.  These self-contained innovative units provide washing and toilet facilities and can be installed in someone’s home in just a day. They connect to existing supplies and can be installed, removed, recycled and refurbished multiple times.  The aim is to help as many people as possible to get home from hospital and remain in their own home, enjoying a dignified bathroom solution, when access to their normal toilet and bathing facility is not an option.

The Council is introducing the Cumberland Home Improvement Agency which will offer a wide range of discretionary grants to help people stay independent, safe and warm at home.   One of the grants is aimed at helping people who are ready to be discharged from hospital but cannot return home, as they need changes to be made in their home first.

The new Cumberland Home Improvement Agency will provide disabled facilities adaptations and a wide range of other assistance resulting in people having the confidence and ability to remain in their homes for longer, benefitting both their physical and mental health.

There are also wider societal benefits. The Centre for Ageing Better estimates that £4.56 is saved for every £1 spent, thanks to reduced demand on local health services from falls and other health issues. They also estimate that adapting someone’s home through the scheme reduces the length of a hospital bed stay from 15 to just nine days on average.

Cllr Emma Williamson, Executive member with responsibility for Children and Family Wellbeing and Housing, said

“What we can achieve through these grants is truly life changing for those who receive them, allowing them to return home, be near to their family and friends and regain their independence. This innovative approach to services is all part of our key ambition to help improve the health and wellbeing of our residents.”

Amanda Starr, Cumberland’s Head of Housing & Social Inclusion, applied to the Health & Wellbeing Board (that brings together Adult Social Care and Health) in July 2024 for funding from the LA Discharge Fund to include the 4 WashPods, making a case for their use.

“I knew of WashPods and they had been used by the authority before with great success. I really appreciated the value-added benefits of the Dignity Access Turnaround System that allows us to re-use the WashPods time and time again”

“It made great financial sense but the WashPods also provide a solution that gives rapid installation times with reliability, quality and the maintenance included” she added.

The Council’s aims are to offer a more effective service for those with palliative, life-limiting or short-term care needs. The specification required the WashPods to meet the following criteria:

• A one stop solution from design, manufacture, installation, maintenance support, removal, storage and recycling.
• The customer requires a quicker installation at home, due to a limited life expectancy or short-term condition which requires an extended reablement period.
• The customer, or the family, would benefit from the installation, and this would prevent an immediate hospital admission or enable early discharge.
• The installation of a temporary solution would significantly reduce care costs in the domestic setting.
• The installation can act as a secondary bathing facility in a family home, for the wellbeing of the individual and the family, negating the need to carryout works to a family bathroom.
• The installation of a temporary solution would prevent admission long-term or temporarily to residential care.
• The installation is recyclable and this supports the Council’s policy.
• The installation is more cost effective when compared to a major adaptation such as an extension, which is the alternative.

The WashPods needed to:

• Be usable for at least 2 years and then be recyclable so it can be reinstalled for a different client in due course
• fit within a room in the home and is a whole solution to bathing/toilet needs
• be functional in a room that is a normal living space eg bedroom, dining room, etc and is likely to be carpeted not specialist flooring
• be available in a range of sizes and designs to suit different room sizes and client needs including those who are ambient and those who require wheelchair accessible units and potentially hoists.

The Home Improvement Agency Team are now raising awareness with the Occupational Therapy and Hospital teams about the WashPods so that people can start benefitting from this innovative new service.