Past Events

Over 150 people from 23 countries joined this international webinar exploring the role of community hospitals, subacute hospitals and transitional care units in delivering integrated care and rehabilitation closer to home.

The session, co-hosted by the International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC) and the Community Hospitals Association, featured speakers from Singapore, Spain, Canada and the UK who shared practical examples of how community hospitals are shaping more connected and person-centred care.

Associate Professor Tan Boon Yeow described the evolution of Singapore’s 11 community hospitals as vital bridges between acute and community care.

Thank you to everyone who joined our recent Networking and Leadership session on Point-of-Care Testing (POCT).

Feedback Highlights

• 100% of participants rated the session as good or excellent.
• Strong interest in real-world implementation of POCT.

This SIG discussion explored how Powys Teaching Health Board is strengthening its nursing teams through international recruitment.

Key Learning Points

• Strong pastoral support is essential for success.
• International recruitment can improve workforce stability.

In our July SIG we welcomed Marc Jobson from Seachange Devon, which operates on the site of a former community hospital.

Key Benefits

• Strong volunteer support.
• Reduced pressure on NHS services.
• Improved community wellbeing.

In the first of this new event series, chaired by Dr Kirsten Protherough, we welcomed 44 colleagues from a wide range of healthcare settings including dietitians, nurses, catering leads and operational managers.

The session explored the challenges of malnutrition, the importance of protein-rich snacks and how hospitals can better support patients through a food-first approach.

Speakers included Brett Fowler from Queensland Bakery Co., NHS Senior Dietitian Noor Al-Refae and Phil Shelley from NHS England and Chair of the NHS Food Review.

Feedback from the session was very positive and discussions are already underway for a follow-up webinar focusing on savoury snacks and further nutritional support ideas.

In this Special Interest Group discussion, Johanna Barnes shared an ongoing quality improvement project focused on identifying and managing delirium in patients using the 4AT screening tool.

Nearly 70 percent of eligible patients are now screened, with PINCH-ME care plans introduced for those identified as being at risk.

The project has improved staff awareness, strengthened communication with families and supported clearer discharge planning.

The team is now working to embed screening tools within digital systems and continues to promote practical approaches to sustainable service improvement.

Physiotherapists Ami Cook and Debbie Poulston shared their Cubii seated exercise machine project, designed to help hospital patients stay active and avoid physical decline during admission.

The machines support strength-building and rehabilitation, particularly for older patients who often experience long periods of inactivity in hospital.

Patients appreciated being able to exercise at their own pace, while staff valued the ability to support several patients simultaneously without requiring additional staffing.

The initiative demonstrated clear rehabilitation benefits, high patient satisfaction and strong potential for wider adoption across hospitals nationally.

We were pleased to begin our 2025 Special Interest Group discussions with Sue Greenwood from Camborne Redruth Community Hospital.

Sue presented Cornwall’s innovative Same Day Emergency Care initiative, which successfully diverted 80 critically ill patients away from A&E during winter pressures.

The presentation highlighted how community hospitals can play an increasingly important role in reducing pressure on acute hospital services while improving patient flow and access to care.

The session also reinforced the value of collaborative learning between community hospital teams across the UK.

We held our first international webinar focused on community hospitals across the globe, hosted jointly by IFIC Scotland and the Community Hospitals Association.

Speakers from Japan, Italy and Sweden shared insights into different models of community healthcare delivery and discussed the role community hospitals play within integrated care systems.

More than 270 people registered from 31 countries, demonstrating growing international interest in collaborative learning and innovation within community healthcare.

The webinar marked the beginning of a wider programme of international collaboration and shared learning opportunities.

Our CHA National Conference 2024 was a great success, bringing together colleagues from across the healthcare sector to explore innovation, leadership and best practice within community hospitals.

Workshops covered a broad range of subjects including frailty, urgent care, palliative and end of life care, sustainability, staffing and the role of art in community hospitals.

The conference theme focused on how community hospitals are shaping the future of healthcare through collaboration, innovation and person-centred care.

Planning is already underway for future conferences and we continue to welcome ideas and suggestions from members and partners.

Barry Nealon and Jo Posnette delivered a highly engaging presentation exploring Rye Hospital’s journey towards achieving zero carbon goals.

The session generated significant discussion and was recognised by organisers as the first carbon neutral presentation delivered within this event series.

Attendees explored practical sustainability initiatives and discussed how community hospitals can contribute to environmental responsibility while continuing to deliver high-quality patient care.

Melissa Messenger and Pete Harvey presented a wide-ranging programme of sustainability initiatives taking place at Frome Community Hospital.

Projects included seed giveaways, recycling mobile phones, bike maintenance support through Dr Bike and reducing plastic waste by removing disposable cups from water dispensers.

Together, these initiatives have helped raise awareness around sustainability and encouraged staff, patients and visitors to think differently about environmental responsibility.

The session highlighted how practical local actions can contribute to a wider culture of sustainability across community healthcare settings.