HOSPITAL AT HOME FUNDING

Providing older people with a safe alternative to hospital.

The number of patients using Hospital at Home in Scotland rose by almost a quarter last year, it has been revealed, as funding allocations for NHS boards were announced.

A total of 13 local healthcare providers have been allocated a share of £3.6 million for Hospital at Home for older people to help ease pressure on frontline acute services.

Hospital at Home offers a safe alternative to admission to an acute hospital, with almost 15,000 older patients using the service in 2023/24 and this funding will support the continuation and development of existing programmes.

Confirmation of the awards comes as a new report from Healthcare Improvement Scotland highlights the impact that the Hospital at Home service for older people has had in 2023-24.

The findings show:

• 14,467 patients used Hospital at Home in 2023, up from 11,686 in the previous year

• Total bed numbers increased by 58%, ahead of the Scottish Government’s 50% target

• An estimated £14.9 million was saved in traditional hospital admission costs

• A further estimated £36.3 million was saved in post-hospital care due to a reduction in re-admission.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have been awarded a £165,000 share of the funding.

Providing older people with a safe alternative to hospital

Hospital at Home is a a great service and it’s great to see the progress that the local Health Board is making to deliver it in Renfrewshire and across the rest of the region.

Commenting, MSP for Renfrewshire North and West, Natalie Don, said:

“Hospital at Home is a a great service and it’s great to see the progress that the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board is making to deliver it in Renfrewshire and across the rest of the region.

“The service has a positive impact, particularly on elderly patients, as it allows patients to receive acute treatment in an environment that they feel comfortable and familiar with.

“It also gives people greater independence during their recovery. Evidence shows that those benefitting from the service are more likely to avoid hospital or care home stays for up to six months after an acute illness.

“This is one of a range of measures that the Scottish Government have put in place to tackle delayed discharge numbers and free up beds within our hospitals.”

£30 MILLION TO REDUCE NHS WAITING TIMES: TARGETED ACTION TO TACKLE LONGEST WAITS

Significant activity is underway to clear the longest NHS waits following the allocation of £30 million of targeted funding.

The funding has been allocated to specialty areas where it can have the greatest impact against the longest waits – this includes cancer, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, dermatology and diagnostics.

It is estimated the £30 million, initially announced in April, will help boards across the country deliver around; 12,000 additional procedures, 40,000 extra diagnostic procedures and 12,000 new outpatient appointments.

Activity levels will increase over the coming weeks and the Scottish Government will work closely with Boards to support delivery. 

Targeted action to tackle longest waits

I welcome this initial investment of £30 million which will target reductions to national backlogs that built up through the pandemic,

Commenting, SNP MSP for Renfrewshire North and West, Natalie Don, said:

“I welcome this initial investment of £30 million which will target reductions to national backlogs that built up through the pandemic. This is all part of the Scottish Government’s programme to tackle waiting times in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde region and across the country, including waiting lists for orthopaedic treatment and diagnostics for cancer.

“These actions will help Scotland’s NHS maximise capacity, build greater resilience and deliver year-on-year reductions in the number of patients who have waited too long for treatment. The number people waiting over two years for a new outpatient appointment is down by more than half in the last two years, and we want to build on that progress.

“As part of the £30 million, the Scottish Government have invested close to £2 million in ophthalmology helping to increase activity in the short term as we aim to deliver one cataract procedure every 30 minutes on standard lists. This will allow a more resilient and sustainable service for the future.”

FIRST INSTALMENT OF £300 MILLION TO REDUCE INPATIENT AND DAY-CASE WAITING TIMES

The Scottish Government has announced an initial £30 million of targeted investment for Q1 of the new financial year, as part of a £300 million plan over the next three years, to help reduce inpatient and day-case waiting lists.

Backed by planned additional investment, this targeted approach will help drive down waiting lists by an estimated 100,000 patients over three years.

Tackling inpatient and day-case waiting times

This initial investment of £30 million will target reductions to national backlogs that built up through the pandemic, including orthopaedic treatment, diagnostics for cancer referrals and patients with the longest waits.

Commenting, SNP MSP for Renfrewshire North and West, Natalie Don, said:

“As the First Minister set out last October, the Scottish Government are committed to accelerating treatment in our NHS and reducing inpatient and day-case waiting lists by an estimated 100,000 patients over the next three years, backed by planned investment of an extra £100 million annually.

“This is all part of the Scottish Government’s programme to drive up productivity and tackle waiting lists. Our actions will further enable NHS Scotland to maximise capacity, build greater resilience and deliver year-on-year reductions in the number of patients who have waited too long for treatment.”