June 4, 2026

The success of our hospital to home partnership with Southwark Council

In July 2023, Agincare was awarded the management of four care homes across Southwark. A fifth home was added in October 2024, bringing the partnership to five care and nursing homes across the borough. 

Today, Agincare operates 351 care and nursing beds across Bluegrove House Care Home, Waterside Care Home, Rose Court Care Home, Greenhive Care Home and Tower Bridge Care Home. Of these, 278 beds are delivered through block contract arrangements with Southwark Council. 

At the start of the partnership, Southwark Council and Agincare recognised that local demand would continue to evolve. Rather than creating a contract that restricted change, both organisations agreed a flexible approach that would allow services to develop in response to local need. 

The partnership was designed to increase nursing capacity, support hospital discharge, expand reablement provision, improve outcomes for residents and reduce pressure on the wider health and care system. More than two years on, that flexibility continues to underpin service development across Southwark.  

Responding to Early Challenges 

One of the earliest priorities was increasing nursing capacity and creating more flexible pathways for people leaving hospital. 

Within six months of mobilisation, Agincare obtained CQC registration for nursing provision and opened the 17 bed Avon Unit at Waterside Care Home. During the same period, 17 beds that had remained unused for more than seven years were brought back into service. 

To further support residents’ recovery and independence, a Council led multidisciplinary team was established within the home, bringing together a Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist and GP. 

These developments increased nursing and intermediate care capacity across the borough while creating new pathways to support assessment, recovery and hospital discharge. 

Councillor Evelyn Akoto said: 

In Southwark, we are bucking the national decline in the number of nursing care beds. They provide complex and specialist support that is vital to our social care ecosystem. 

The new Avon Unit means more joined up care for our residents with a real focus on them retaining their independence. We are delighted by the unit’s success so far, the product of expert care and close work between the council, Agincare and the local NHS.

Developing the Avon Unit  

The Avon Unit was developed to support Nursing, Discharge to Assess and Bed Based Reablement pathways, helping bridge the gap between hospital care and longer-term support.

Working closely with Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital and King’s College Hospital, Agincare and Southwark Council developed TOC Passports alongside supported discharge planning. These assessments are completed in hospital and provide care teams with the information needed to prepare for a resident’s arrival before discharge takes place. 

Combined with a dedicated Agincare contact for Southwark’s block contract, the approach provides hospital teams, commissioners and placement teams with a clear route for referrals, discharge planning and bed availability. 

By combining hospital-based assessments with proactive discharge planning, the model has reduced delays, supported patient flow and freed up acute hospital capacity. In some cases, referrals received in the morning have resulted in admission to the home later the same day. 

The Avon Unit has also become a key part of Southwark’s reablement pathway. Southwark Council reported that 80% of residents supported through the service returned home with reduced or no ongoing care requirements. 

The impact of these pathways can be seen through the accompanying Bed Based Reablement and Discharge to Assess case studies, which demonstrate how residents have been supported to regain independence, return home safely and receive care that more accurately reflects their needs. 

Improving Outcomes Through Partnership 

The success of the partnership has enabled services to evolve in response to changing local demand. 

Within 18 months, Southwark Council and Agincare agreed further contract variations, including additional block capacity within the Avon Unit, greater flexibility across service types and increased flexibility in how beds are utilised across the homes. These developments have allowed services to respond more effectively to changing referral patterns while maintaining capacity across the borough. 

Alongside service development, Agincare became the first care provider to implement Southwark’s Ethical Care Charter and continues to work closely with commissioners through regular quality reviews, partnership meetings and borough wide forums. 

The partnership has also invested in workforce development. Southwark care home managers have completed the Six Steps End of Life Programme, while team members, residents and families have participated in Cancer Awareness Training delivered in partnership with King’s College Hospital. 

Continuing to Develop Services 

Supporting workforce wellbeing has been another area of focus. Through participation in Southwark’s Health Kiosk Project across all five homes, Agincare has been able to better understand workforce health and identify opportunities for targeted interventions. 

Health Kiosk Outcomes

The programme has provided valuable insight into workforce health and resilience, helping inform future wellbeing initiatives and supporting long term service sustainability. 

Looking Ahead 

The partnership between Southwark Council and Agincare continues to evolve in response to changing community need. Through investment in nursing provision, reablement, discharge pathways and workforce development, the partnership is helping ensure residents receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time. 

By maintaining a flexible approach to service delivery and continuing to work closely with NHS and local authority partners, Agincare and Southwark Council are well placed to respond to future challenges and opportunities across the borough.