All care homes should adopt the Red Bag Scheme.

You are reassured that when you are needing to go in to the hospital, that personal information about you and key items that matter to you, including your This is Me/Getting to know you are transferred with you; as you may not be able to provide this information yourself. This includes a detail of your current functions, likes, dislikes and if you have any lasting power of attorneys and how matters to you most e.g. family, friends, carers, pets.

For extra information, evidence and best practice please scroll down to the bottom of the page.

National offerings

Redbag Scheme for Hospital Transfer From Care Homes and Back

This integrated pathway (Red Bag Pathway) is designed to support care homes, ambulance services and the local hospital meet the requirements of NICE guideline NG27: Transition between inpatient hospital setting and community or care homes. The red bag is used to transfer standardised paperwork, medication and personal belongings.
Weblink: https://www.nice.org.uk/sharedlearning/hospital-transfer-pathway-red-bag-pathway

Healthwatch

Healthwatch is your health and social care champion. If you use GPs and hospitals, dentists, pharmacies, care homes or other support services, we want to hear about your experiences. As an independent statutory body, we have the power to make sure NHS leaders and other decision makers listen to your feedback and improve standards of care. Last year we helped nearly a million people like you to have your say and get the information and advice you need.
Telephone: Call: 03000 683 000 between the hours of 08:30 – 17:30 Monday to Friday
Email: enquiries@healthwatch.co.uk
Weblink: https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/your-local-healthwatch/list

Evidence

quick-guide-redbag-hospital-transfer:"Hospital Transfer Pathway use of the red bag scheme: Length of stay is 4.4 days fewer for residents from nursing homes and 4.1 days fewer for those from residential homes. The bag is the most visible part of an agreed Hospital Transfer Pathway, built on collaboration between community and hospital care, GPs, the local Ambulance Trust and care homes. The pathway includes an assessment of the functional level of the resident when they are well. This information allows the hospital team to understand the functional level they should be aiming for to support a safe discharge.
The Red Bag also clearly identifies a patient as being a care home resident and this means that it may be possible for the patient to be discharged sooner. This is because the care home and hospitals will then engage in conversations around discharge from admission, as well as the fact that hospital staff will have a better understanding of the residents care needs."

All care homes should adopt the Red Bag Scheme.

National offerings

Evidence

Best Practice Resources