They already had a challenging task, ensuring patients could go home from Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital with all the support they need.

But the Medical Patient Discharge Assistants have gone the extra mile during the pandemic, making sure people are tested for Covid-19 so they are well enough and safe enough to go back to care homes and their own homes.

Now, Patient Flow Managers Samantha Daintith and Ashleigh Jaffray are paying tribute to the 24-strong team, formed around six years ago.

Just some of our Medical Patient Discharge Assistants

Samantha said: “Before Covid-19, the role to maintain the flow of patients within the trust was challenging as we had to make sure people were not in hospital longer than they needed to be and to make sure we had enough beds for people who were so sick they needed to come into hospital.

“Then the pandemic took hold in the UK and the role became even more of a challenge but the team adapted and moved to different areas of the trust to suit the needs of the service.”

The team covers patients requiring care and treatment for medical conditions at both Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill, including specific specialties such as cardiology. Two new members of staff will be joining shortly.

Patients must be tested for Covid-19 before they can be discharged to care homes and some require the support of social services from Hull City and East Riding Councils, meaning an additional effort by the Discharge Assistants to get people out of hospital in the safest way as soon as possible.

Ashleigh said: “The Discharge Assistants have stepped up and gone above and beyond their duties and their roles.

“Staff throughout the trust have now recognised how much of a valuable role the Discharge Assistants are and we would like to thank the team for all the hard work they do, day in day out.

“They live out the true meaning of “TEAM” – Together Everyone Achieves More – at their jobs every day.”