CARE Home residents in South Cheshire and Vale Royal will have everything they need if they need to stay in hospital, thanks to a red bag.

The new scheme was set up by the South Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and the Vale Royal CCG.

It is about making sure that all the necessary documents and personal items stay with the individual from being admitted to hospital and going back to the care home.

Tracey Shewan, executive director of quality and safeguarding, said: "This is a simple idea, one bag to keep certain types of medicine, any letters or other important items with the resident.

"More importantly, we're also asking care homes to make sure that there is something of personal importance to the person too, maybe a family photo or a small item to make their stay in hospital a little more comfortable and reassuring."

Every care home in Vale Royal has been issued with the bags, with a checklist of items for it to include, such as the patient's care plan, certain medications and other essential personal items they may need during their stay at hospital.

Julie Tunney, director of nursing and quality at Mid Cheshire Hospitals, said: “The information contained in the Red Bag Passport will improve communication at all stages of the patient’s journey and supports our focus of putting patients at the heart of everything we do.

“It allows patients to be discharged in a timely manner, and also reduces some of the anxiety that a hospital admission may cause to some of the most vulnerable members of our community.”

For more information on Vale Royal CCG, go to valeroyalccg.nhs.uk or follow on Twitter @NHSValeRoyalCCG