Hospital Transfer Pathways (Red Bags)

Care England, the largest representative body for independent care providers for adult social care has welcomed the roll out of the Red Bag initiative.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England says:

“We support the red bag, because it improves communication between care homes and hospitals and ultimately leads to a better experience for people who have to transfer between services”.

Innovative ‘red bags’ that help care home residents admitted to hospital be discharged quicker are being rolled out across the country. The bags, which contain key paperwork, medication and personal items like glasses, slippers and dentures, are handed to ambulance crews by carers and travel with patients to hospital where they are then handed to the doctor.

The ‘red bag’ initiative started three years ago in Sutton, South West London, and now all areas of the country are being urged to adopt the scheme with a toolkit launched in Parliament yesterday.

Martin Green continues:

“The ‘red bag’ is a tangible representation of improved relationships between hospitals and care homes and the staff involved in the care of the individual”.