A pioneering mental health service operating across Ealing care homes is helping residents with dementia and severe mental illness stay in familiar surroundings while easing pressure on local hospitals. The Care Home In-reach Liaison Service (CHILS), run by West London NHS Trust, works with 32 care homes in the borough and is credited with more than £1.2m in savings for the health service.
Care where people live
CHILS supplies specialist mental health support directly in care settings, offering clinical assessment, staff training and discharge planning aimed at avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions and speeding returns to care homes after treatment. Trust figures show the service has also contributed to a marked fall in the use of antipsychotic medication among residents and reduced the need for intensive one-to-one staffing.
How the service works
The model focuses on delivering expert input to care homes so residents can be treated in place where that is clinically appropriate. That includes:
- timely specialist assessments for dementia and severe mental illness
- training and advice to care staff on managing behavioural and psychological symptoms
- planning and coordination for safe discharge when hospital care is required
“We know people often achieve the best outcomes when they can receive care in familiar surroundings. CHILS helps care home residents access timely specialist support, improving their wellbeing while reducing the need for hospital admission where possible.”
The quotation above was provided by Jackie Jervis, a specialist nurse practitioner involved with the service.
Local and system-wide benefits
For families and residents, the service promises fewer disruptive moves to hospital and more consistent care from familiar staff. For the wider health economy, the reported savings of £1.2m reflect fewer avoidable admissions and reduced demand for one-to-one nursing or temporary staffing during crises.
| Measure | Reported impact |
|---|---|
| Number of care homes covered | 32 |
| Estimated savings | £1.2m |
| Clinical effects | Reduced antipsychotic use; less need for intensive one-to-one care |
West London NHS Trust describes CHILS as a means of delivering specialist mental health interventions in settings where residents feel secure and known — a key consideration when working with people living with dementia or severe mental illness. The approach aligns with wider NHS ambitions to provide care closer to home and to reduce avoidable hospital stays.
For carers and relatives, the local provision may also offer quicker access to advice and reassurance from mental health professionals. Care homes in Ealing engaged with the scheme receive ongoing training and support intended to build staff confidence in managing complex needs without immediate recourse to hospital admission.
As demand on hospital beds continues to be a concern across health services, CHILS provides an example of how targeted, specialist in-reach can both improve residents’ wellbeing and deliver measurable savings. Local families looking for more information about the service should contact their care home manager or West London NHS Trust for details about how CHILS operates in individual homes.
