AS he sits in his checked pyjamas, enjoying the warmth of the sunlight filtering into the airy conservatory, John Suffield feels he’s come a long way in the six weeks since he was taken so ill that his devoted wife Carol feared the worst.

With 77-year-old John unable to speak, frightened, and so confused that he didn’t know where he was, Carol’s immediate concern was that he had suffered a repeat of the stroke that cast a shadow over his life in 2004.

She called 999 and paramedics discovered that it wasn’t a stroke but a severe hypoglycemic attack, caused by her husband’s diabetes. With his glucose levels dropping dangerously, he was taken as an emergency from their home in Crook to the University of Durham Hospital, where his condition was stabilised.

Four days later, John was transferred to the Weardale Community Hospital, one of six community hospital units operated by the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust within what is called the ‘Integrated Adult Care’ group.

John became one of the first seven patients to be treated under a new initiative being trialled at the Weardale Community Hospital in the picturesque town of Stanhope. “Intermediate Care Plus” is a kind of NHS halfway house, designed for those who cannot be cared for at home but don’t need to be in a mainstream hospital, for an agreed period of time

This additional service is available to anyone over the age of 18 in the Weardale area who, in the judgement of their GP or intermediate care team, needs short-term rehabilitation services such as physiotherapy or occupational therapy.

“It is about trying to provide the best, tailor-made service in the right place at the right time,” says Ward manager Karen Marley.

By opening up the hospital, its conservatory and the picturesque grounds to the intermediate care patients, managers believe the initiative is making better use of the community hospital which opened in January 2002, as a modern replacement for the old cottage hospital that stood on the site.

“There are always understandable concerns about what the future may hold for community hospitals like this but this initiative is about looking again at what we can offer and making it better,” adds Karen.

Patients who are part of the initiative are expected to stay for a maximum of six weeks, during which time assessments are made about their future care, whether that is in their own homes, in a care home, or a mainstream hospital. Wherever possible, the plan would always be to return the patient to their usual place of residence with an appropriate care package if required.

Weardale Community Hospital is helping the NHS trust to cater for an ageing population, with the average age of those being treated currently 83.7 years. High quality end of life care is also provided at Weardale hospital, if that is the patient’s preferred place of care, in partnership with Butterwick Hospice.

John and Carol can’t speak too highly of the care they have received since his “hypo” attack left him so vulnerable.

“I just couldn’t have coped with him at home on my own and coming here has given us breathing space. It’s been an absolute godsend,” says Carol.

“Why, it’s like The Hilton,” adds John as he sits back in an adjustable chair in the hospital conservatory. “It’s such a pleasant environment and I have to say that the staff are really excellent.

“When you come into a hospital, you’re away from home and you don’t know what you’re facing. But, in here, they can’t do enough to help you relax.”

An explosives engineer by trade, John has worked all over the world and proudly ran his highly successful own business - Rock Blasting Engineers Ltd. He is used to hard work, pressure and noise, but made the most of his stay in peaceful surroundings, made more comfortable by the admirable fundraising efforts of the Friends of Weardale Community Hospital.

The good news is that the friendly grandad has now been discharged following an assessment of his on-going needs. That includes having stand-aids to relieve the physical pressure on his wife, and carers to visit him to provide extra support when necessary.

Most important of all, he’s back where he wants to be – at home, with Carol.