Any hospital discharge team’s biggest problem is finding care home placements quickly for complex patients – and the same applies for families going down the private route – they’re desperately seeking a place who can provide the care their loved ones need.
If you want to increase your home’s occupancy rates, become a solution hospitals and families can trust.
So, how do you become front of mind and increase those referrals?
1) Build formal relationships
Join your local care networks and commissioning frameworks. Attend NHS discharge planning meetings regularly. When social workers and discharge teams know you personally, they think of you first. Being on approved provider lists opens doors to steady referrals.
2) Market locally and smartly
Self-funders often live within five miles of the care home they choose. Use targeted Facebook ads for your area. Drop leaflets in GP surgeries and community centres. Host
coffee mornings and open days. Let your community see inside your home.
3) Review your admissions process
Families contact multiple homes. The fastest response often wins. Use simple systems to track bed availability in real-time. Return referral calls within two hours. Have pre-assessment paperwork ready. Speed matters when families are stressed and deciding quickly.
4) Build a reputation for reliability
Discharge teams remember who makes their job easier. Accept residents on Friday afternoons when others won’t. Handle complex needs professionally. Get good CQC ratings and share them.
5) Ask satisfied families for Google reviews.
Your reputation travels fast in local care circles. Focus on being known, trusted and easy to work with. These basics fill beds better than any clever marketing strategy.
Empty beds doesn’t help anyone. For homes, they’re lost revenue. For families, your lack of visibility becomes a missed opportunity in finding a home for a dear one. For discharge teams, it’s means continuing to deal with unnecessary pressure.
When you’re visibly demonstrating high-quality care, you attract the right opportunities and everyone wins.