Community Bridge Project

Community Bridge Project

Dudley CVS seeks voluntary sector partners to support hospital discharge

Returning home after a prolonged hospital stay can be a challenging time for patients, both physically and emotionally. Research shows that social isolation, loneliness and other wider determinants of health can significantly hinder recovery from illness or surgery, increasing the likelihood of patients being readmitted to hospital.

Findings from Nottingham Trent University’s School of Social Sciences reveal that increasing a patient’s access to community provision and social activities through Social Prescribing initiatives can reduce healthcare use by 25%. This highlights the power of social connection in improving health outcomes and reducing the strain on healthcare services.

Dudley CVS’s existing social prescribing projects, delivered since 2014, with investment into frontline voluntary sector organisations, have achieved significant cost avoidance for the NHS through reduced healthcare use. In 2024/25, A&E attendances reduced by 47.33% (cost avoidance £232,645) and hospital admissions reduced by 44.32% (cost avoidance £552,384).

The voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE) has a key role to play in supporting hospital discharge and post discharge support.

Dudley CVS seeks to work collaboratively with a range of VCSE organisations to co-deliver this pilot and collectively demonstrate the impact the VCSE sector can play in hospital discharge. Funding is available to financially resource patient interventions.

Some examples of VCSE interventions could include:

• Moving furniture in a patient’s own home before they can be discharged from hospital eg moving their bed from upstairs to downstairs etc
• Ensure patients have food when they are due to arrive home from hospital
• Help patients to settle in at home once they arrive home from hospital eg putting heating and lighting on, making a drink etc
• Befriending services, both in person and via telephone
• Transport support eg hospital pick ups
• Financial support eg debt and benefits etc
• Help patients to get out and about in their community
• Counselling support
• Walking buddies
• Tea and chat buddies

List not exhaustive, the above may not be the only interventions required.

VCSE organisations can express an interest to be part of this collaboration via a VCSE Approved Provider list to support delivery.

Expressions of interest

To register an interest, please complete and return the expression of interest form by Wednesday 14^th January 2026. Email: kategreen@dudleycvs.org.uk

Please click the text below to download the expression of interest form:

Community Bridge Project Voluntary Sector Partner EOI form – November 2025