The Reablement service has expanded in response to increasing demand and the need to support people who were remaining in hospital while waiting for a long-term care provider to begin their care package.
In December 2025, a pilot Rapid Discharge Service was introduced as an additional element of the Reablement Service.
The initiative enables people to return home safely while waiting for longer-term care arrangements, rather than remaining in hospital unnecessarily.
The service supports timely hospital discharge, helps release hospital beds for those awaiting treatment, and ensures people receive care and support in the most appropriate setting.
A dedicated Rapid Discharge team was established to deliver the pilot, consisting of a team leader and six support staff, providing county-wide coverage across the borough.
The Reablement and Rapid Discharge Service is now an established part of Adult Social Care, with a base within Wrexham Maelor Hospital working alongside health professionals, as well as an operational office within Adult Social Services.
The team now consists of a registered manager, seven team leaders and forty-six support workers who deliver care and support to those using the service.
In response to increasing demand, additional staffing capacity has been introduced to strengthen assessment functions, providing further capacity to support timely assessments and meet the fast-paced operational requirements of the service.
The team continues to respond to a high volume of referrals, supporting people to be discharged from hospital within a 48-hour timeframe where appropriate.
The service has also worked closely with the Home First team, with two members of the leadership team based in the hospital on a daily basis to ensure the most up-to-date information is available to support safe and timely discharges.
Between April 2025 and March 2026, the Reablement Service received 493 referrals, and provided support to 389 people.
Of these, 244 referrals were received within a six-month period, demonstrating the sustained and increasing demand for the service.
During the three-month Rapid Discharge Service pilot, 48 referrals were received, with 25 people supported to return home within a short timeframe.
This resulted in a combined saving of 353 hospital bed days that would otherwise have been spent waiting for a care provider to take over their care package.
The service has received positive feedback from partner professionals, recognising the strong collaborative working relationships established by the team. This has been achieved through a consistent presence within the hospital and regular visits to patients on wards.
Councillor Beverley Parry-Jones, Lead Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing said “The expansion of the Reablement Service and the introduction of the Rapid Discharge Service has made a real difference to people’s lives, helping residents return home safely and reducing the time they need to spend in hospital.”
“This work is a strong example of partnership working between Adult Social Services and health colleagues, with teams working at pace to support safe, timely discharges while also helping to free up hospital beds for those who need treatment.”
“I would like to thank the staff involved for their dedication, professionalism and compassion. Their work is helping people regain independence, improve their wellbeing and receive support in the right place at the right time.”
The positive impact and outcomes achieved through the pilot are now informing a business case to implement the Rapid Discharge Service on a permanent basis.
