The Best Western Hotel Rembrandt in Weymouth is being repurposed to be used as a discharge hospital. Thirty-one bedrooms will be used for people who can’t go directly back to their homes when they are medically fit to leave hospital during the coronavirus crisis, but who are leaving hospital for reasons not related to coronavirus.

Using a model that has been proven in other areas, it will be used as a social care base for people who are waiting for a social care help and support package to be put in place.

As the hotel-based care offer is not an extension of a hospital stay for medical reasons, it’s not appropriate to use other hospital settings, such as community hospitals.

By using The Best Western Hotel Rembrandt, more capacity will be provided to the health and care system across the area helping to keep hospital beds available to support people with coronavirus. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is fully in support of this and has helped to get the hotel in Dorchester Road set up as quickly as possible.

It will be staffed by Abi Live-In Care and the first admission was due on 6 April.

Technology Enabled Care, such as a call system, has been installed to assist people at the facility throughout the day and night. Mobile phones and tablets have also been provided to help people keep in touch with friends and loved ones.

Cllr Laura Miller, portfolio holder for adult social care and health at Dorset Council said, “This a great success, showing the dedication of partners across the system to get this set up in just a few days. We’re hearing nationally about the shortage of hospital beds, and we want to be ahead of the curve by providing alternative solutions for people who are medically fit to leave.

“We can then make sure that the most critically ill people have access to the right help and support in hospitals at the right time.

“We also know that care and support in people’s homes is becoming increasingly difficult to find, so this hotel-based care provision will make sure anyone who can leave hospital can do so in a safe way, while we work with them to get the support they’ll need to return home.”

Admissions to the Hotel Rembrandt will be built up gradually over the coming days. Dorset Council and Abi Live-In Care staff will monitor the progress carefully and will build a better picture of the situation throughout the week.

The Grange Hotel at Oborne near Sherborne will be the second base to open offering support for people in the north of the county. They will be taking admissions from Monday 13 April.