HILS Expands Support for Hospital Discharge Schemes to Hampshire and West Sussex

HILS are playing a key role in supporting local Hospital Discharge Schemes to help patients returning home from Hospital to have access to hot nutritious food and daily wellbeing checks. 

HILS are working closely with NHS partners and local authorities in Hampshire and West Sussex to ensure that patients leaving hospital are not only met with a nutritious hot meal but also with the reassurance of a daily wellbeing check to help support their recovery at home.

After illness or surgery it is important for patients to receive the extra energy, protein , and essential nutrients to help support them in their recovery and reduce readmission and prevent avoidable costs.

Older people receiving home-base support are 60% more likely to remain independent 91 days post-discharge, and experience fewer hospital readmission’s than those in residential care, restoring dignity and autonomy.

In Hertfordshire we have been providing a similar scheme since COVID-19 where eligible patients returning home can receive free two-week packages of support. In 2024/25 the team supported 2,265 with two weeks of free meals.

We are pleased to now offer the same level of support as part of these two new pilot schemes. While the two schemes differ slightly, both ensure that eligible patients have access to nutritious meals as they recover at home. In Hampshire, patients on Pathway 0 or 1 leaving Winchester or Basingstoke hospitals will receive seven days of free hot meals. In West Sussex, eligible patients discharged anywhere in the county on the Home First Pathway will receive five days of free hot meals, along with tea packs to support their recovery.

Patients have to be referred onto the service by a professional. They are unable to refer themselves.