Sedgefield Borough Council has won high praise for a service which provides support to the elderly in times of crisis.

The Sedgefield Home Assessment and Rehabilitation Partnership (Sharp) is a service which has assisted many people in staying at home.

The initiative has also helped to relieve the serious problem of bed-blocking by avoiding inappropriate stays in hospitals, or residential and nursing homes.

The service has been such a success that it saved about £60,000 between April and November last year by removing stays in other establishments.

The Sharp team is based at the Cleves Cross Grange sheltered housing complex, in Ferryhill, owned by the council, which converted flats to provide units for assessment and rehabilitation.

Alongside Sedgefield Borough Council, the other Sharp partners are Durham Social Services, Sedgefield Primary Care Trust and County Durham and Darlington Acute Services Trust.

Teesside University has carried out an evaluation of the Sharp services which highlighted the real need for it.

The report says: "Sharp has helped to alleviate problems concerning winter bed-blocking in local hospitals and residential homes by providing appropriate health care to older people.

"It plays a significant role in maximising older people's independence and enhancing their quality of life, especially in regard to those who live alone. The services also prevent unnecessary accidents and immobility."

To ensure the continued success of Sharp, the report also includes a list of future recommendations, including monitoring and evaluating care provision.

The Department of Health has recently included the service on its website as an Evaluated Service of Best Practice.

Glyn Hall, the council's director of housing and environmental health, said: "The borough council has always been concerned for the welfare of its residents and is delighted to be a part of what is proving to be a very successful partnership."