A new contract that will allow discharged Peterborough City Hospital patients to keep using a vital support service is set to be considered by Peterborough City Council at its monthly Cabinet meeting next week.

On February 10, Cabinet will decide whether to approve a new contract to The British Red Cross Society that will enable the Discharge Support Service to continue operating out of City Hospital.

The service, which has been in place since 2017, is designed to facilitate a smooth transition for individuals returning home after hospital admissions.

The current contract for this service, which was awarded in May 2023, ends on 30 April 2026. The proposal to recommend its recommissioning came after the service was deemed “valuable and impactful.”

placeholder image — Peterborough City Hospital

Micheil Wilson, Commissioning Manager and author of the report set to go before Cabinet for recommendation described the contract as “essential for reducing pressure on hospital resources and helping to prevent re-admissions.”

“The Discharge Support Service adopts a reablement approach, focusing on empowering individuals to regain independence and confidence in their daily activities.”

The report states the service will cost a combined maximum value of £740,209 (£148,041 per year) over the course of five years. The proposed contract will run from 1 May, 2026 to 30 April, 2029 (with the options to extend yearly until 2031).

It is anticipated that the recommissioning of the Discharge Support Service will help “prevent costly readmissions which put avoidable strain on the system.”

Figures provided by the Department of Health and Social Care estimate the actual likely savings to be somewhere between £189,750 and £356,250 each year. Vital bed space needed for newly admitted patients would also be increased as a result.

The Discharge Support Service is available for all adults aged 18 discharged from Peterborough City Hospital. The services provided include:

Transport home/or to a care setting from hospital,

Post-discharge support for up to six weeks if needed,

Telephone support/welfare check-ins,

Collecting prescriptions,

Shopping and food parcels,

Delivering small equipment from hospital to home,

Mobility aids,

Triage service into the local voluntary sector and local information for the Peterborough area.

These services are time limited, with support limited to up to six weeks after discharge.

The report showed the majority of referrals made for the above services between November 2024 and November 2025 were for individuals aged 75 years and over.