Home and Community Care Support Services South West (HCCSS)

September 1, 2022

Home and Community Care Support Services South West (HCCSS) coordinates in-home and community-based care for tens of thousands of patients every month, supporting several regions across southwest Ontario. HCCSS staff assess patient care needs and deliver home and community care with services that include support through community nursing clinics and help with the long-term care home placement process. The agency also provides access and referrals to other community services. With a commitment to helping patients to be healthier at home, HCCSS collaborates with other health system partners including Ontario Health Teams to enable integrated patient care and enhanced system performance.

At the height of the pandemic, HCCSS helped to increase capacity at Oxford County hospitals by creating a solution for hospital patients waiting for long term care. In April 2020, in collaboration with CarePartners, HCCSS opened the Transitional Bed Program at Caressant Care in Woodstock. What was originally intended to be a temporary solution has since turned into a 22-bed unit for those waiting for long-term care. HCCSS provides management for the program, while other collaborators provide nursing, PSW, and physiotherapy services to residents.

While this transitional program began before our OHT was officially approved, it is a fantastic example of the type of coordinated care and collaboration between partners that we are striving for more of in our healthcare system.

We are pleased to have the support of Home and Community Care Support Services South West. To learn more about their services, visit their website at: healthcareathome.ca