Health and social care information for commissioners

We work in partnership with the NHS, social care, voluntary and community sectors.

Our approach

The British Red Cross offers health and care solutions across the four nations of the UK, delivering tried and tested services that have a strong track record of positive impact.

We co-design bespoke services to meet the needs of your local context, drawing on evidence and insight of what works. We also design, test, and evaluate new approaches to improve health outcomes.

The British Red Cross has been supporting health and social care systems since the NHS was established 75 years ago. We want nothing more than to see that partnership deepen and grow. We have vast experience in providing valuable support to people when they most need it across the UK. Our UK-wide infrastructure enables us to deliver quality assured, scalable and efficient services, delivered responsively and flexibly according to local needs.

Some of our health services in England are rated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Find out more.

Download our health prospectus:

Contact us to discuss commissioning services.

On this page, you can find information about:

Arrow icon the services we provide

Arrow icon our impact

Arrow icon examples of our services

Arrow icon how to get in touch

Watch the video above which highlights our approach to bespoke health services. We have tailored a four-nation approach and regionally specific solutions to local communities, targeting new areas and increasing visibility of our services.

The services we provide

To help people remain independent, we provide services that are regulated by the Care Quality Commission and Care Inspectorate. 

To view our latest inspection reports, please visit the links in the Examples of our services section.

Our impact

 

Assisted discharge

  • 97% of NHS staff agreed the service had a positive impact on facilitating quicker discharges.
  • 95% of NHS staff agreed the service improved patient flow.

 

High intensity use

  • 58% reduction in accident and emergency department attendance.
  • 71% reduction in ambulance conveyance.
  • 67% reduction in non-elective admissions.

 

Accident and emergency department support 

  • 77% of NHS staff felt that the British Red Cross made a significant contribution to improving patient flow in the department, reducing delayed transfers and discharges.
  • 87% of NHS staff felt that the service made a significant contribution to freeing up their time and improving their wellbeing.

 

Trusted assessors

  • 94% of people visited by the British Red Cross did not subsequently require a home visit from an occupational therapist.
  • More than 70% of referrals received were visited at home within 1 hour of referral.
  • 92% were visited within 4 hours of referral into the service.

Examples of our services

Getting hospital discharge right

We help transport patients home safely, quickly, and effectively through our assisted discharge services. We believe that safe, well-planned discharge can make a big difference to an individual’s recovery, well-being, and independence.

In this video, we share stories from people who've been discharged from hospital. 

Find out more about our research into getting hospital discharge right or read our report (PDF).

 

 

Nowhere else to turn

People from the most deprived areas of the UK are more likely to be in poor health and most likely to attend A&E most frequently.

In this video, we share stories of the people who have been repeatedly going into A&E.

Find out more about our research on the high intensity use of A&E services or read our summary report (PDF).

 

 

 

Bert’s journey from hospital to home

Delayed transfers home from hospital cost the NHS £170 million a year. So the British Red Cross step in help by helping thousands of people home from hospital every year.

The service doesn't stop at the door - our volunteers take care of all the little things that can make a big difference in keeping people living independently. This animation shows the journey of one man, Bert, and how The British Red Cross volunteer, Sharna, helped him. 

Virtual wards/Hospital at home

Virtual wards allow patients to receive hospital-level care from their own home, allowing patients to remain at home while freeing up hospital beds.

Our discovery project identified that there is inequality in who is being offered and supported to benefit from this mode of healthcare.

Read our reports:

Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF)

PSIRF sets out the NHS’s approach to developing and maintaining effective systems and processes for responding to patient safety incidents for the purpose of learning and improving patient safety.

Download our plan and policy:

Get in touch

Contact us and we’ll put you in touch with your regional representative, who will  support you and your local requirements.