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| NHS hospital drops out of 'Airbnb' scheme to rent spare rooms to patients | NHS hospital drops out of 'Airbnb' scheme to rent spare rooms to patients |
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| An NHS hospital has dropped out of an "Air BnB" scheme to rent spare rooms in people's houses to patients who are not yet well enough to go home. | An NHS hospital has dropped out of an "Air BnB" scheme to rent spare rooms in people's houses to patients who are not yet well enough to go home. |
| Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has said it has no intention to take part in the pilot "at this time", saying it could compromise the safety and quality of care of its patients. | |
| It comes after plans emerged on Wednesday for NHS patients recuperating after a hospital stay to be put up in Airbnb-style accommodation in people’s homes to ease the burden on hospital wards running at capacity. | |
| Tom Abel, deputy chief executive of the hospital, said in a statement: “Whilst we welcome and encourage new ideas and innovation, there is no intention, and there never has been, for the hospital to support his pilot at this time. | Tom Abel, deputy chief executive of the hospital, said in a statement: “Whilst we welcome and encourage new ideas and innovation, there is no intention, and there never has been, for the hospital to support his pilot at this time. |
| “We will never compromise the safety and quality of care of patients, and we will not support this pilot until the necessary safeguarding and quality arrangements are in place and there’s been full engagements and discussion with our communities on the proposal.” | “We will never compromise the safety and quality of care of patients, and we will not support this pilot until the necessary safeguarding and quality arrangements are in place and there’s been full engagements and discussion with our communities on the proposal.” |
| A pilot scheme called CareRooms, which will be trialled in Essex, will see around 30 patients waiting for discharge from hospital stay with local residents who have a spare room or annex. | |
| CareRooms is recruiting “hosts” – who do not need any previous care experience – and they could earn up to £50 a night putting up people recuperating from a hospital stay. | |
| Concerns have been raised however about the risk of abuse of patients, with health campaigners warning that making sure vulnerable people are protected would be a “huge and risky task”. |