Avoiding admission to hospital is the aim of a new response service in St Albans.

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust is working in partnership with Hertfordshire County Council social care workers, Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust mental health nurses and Age UK to provide a one-stop-shop to treating and keeping people well in their own homes.

The Rapid Response Team held its official launch with the support of St Albans MP Anne Main, at St Albans City Hospital.

Mrs Main said: “People in St Albans have been asking for this type of service for some time, so congratulations to all those involved in getting this off the ground.

“People are living longer now, so the Rapid Response Team will be vital in helping them to get back on their feet in their own homes.

“Building up our NHS services in St Albans has always been a long-term goal.

“I am pleased to see that the local NHS partnerships are making progress on delivering the services that local people want.”

Charlie Cadogan, Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust manager for St Albans and Harpenden Integrated Community Teams, added: “We are very proud of our new Rapid Response Team.

“We have excellent support from our GPs, patient groups and the Clinical Commissioning Group.

“Our aim is to prevent admissions to hospital and facilitate earlier supported discharges, keeping very complex patients at home, safely, where they would prefer to be.”