ELDERLY hospital patients from the Durham Dales could be making a speedier return home thanks to a new support service.

Doctors in Wear Valley and Teesdale are offering help to people over 65, who are well enough to leave hospital, but may not be fit enough to manage without support.

Through a supported discharge scheme launched by the Durham Dales Primary Care Trust patients can get help with everyday tasks, such as housework, shopping or bathing, or with specialist care such as changing a catheter or organising medication.

This unblocks hospital beds and encourages people to recover more quickly in their own homes.

Before patients leave the ward, members of a trust team will assess their needs and work out a care plan lasting anything from two days to eight weeks.

Team members are care manager Gill Taylor, district nurse Allison Cunliffe, occupational therapist Anya Bostock and technical therapist Lesley Cummings.

They will keep a close eye on the patient's progress and call in social services where necessary.

The scheme started last week, after a six-month pilot last year, and has proved popular with its first few clients.

Allison Cunliffe said: "We help people to recover at home by supporting them to get back to independent living.

"Most people want to leave hospital as soon as they can and they recover quicker at home.

"If people stay in hospital too long they can become dependent and lose the motivation to get back to normal. They may have help from their families, but relatives have jobs and cannot be there all the time.

"Some people just need us for a day or two and we understand that their needs will change. We review them regularly so that we can increase or decrease their care and support their rehabilitation."

The scheme is not open to people who are terminally ill or who require long term support.

The team can be contacted at at the primary care trust's Escomb Road annexe, telephone (01388) 455785.