Rishi Sunak’s government is set to announce plans to treat more than half a million patients a year in “virtual” hospital wards as part of an urgent and emergency care plan.
The Department of Health said about 50,000 people a month elderly and vulnerable people could receive tailored support at home each month, as part of a strategy to shift some NHS care out of under-pressed hospitals.
About 3,000 virtual beds are due to be created before next winter, with the plan set to suggest that about 50,000 people a month could be cared for from home under ministers’ ambitions.
The plan comes amid multiple reports that hospitals are struggling to cope amid severe pressures on staff, with walk-outs by nurses set to continue as a dispute over pay and conditions continues.
The latest data shows that ambulance handover delays outside hospitals in England have dropped to their lowest level this winter, but one in five patients are still waiting at least half an hour to be transferred to A&E teams.
Health secretary Steve Barclay up to 20 per cent of hospital admissions are avoidable with the right care in place, and said that the plan would help “ease pressure” on stretched A&E services.
“The health and care service is facing significant pressures and while there is no quick fix, we can take immediate action to reduce long waits for urgent and emergency care,” he said.
Mr Barclay added: “By expanding the care provided in the community, the most vulnerable, frail and elderly patients can be better supported to continue living independently or recover at home.
“This includes rolling out more services to help with falls and frailty as well as supporting up to 50,000 patients a month to recover in the comfort of their own homes.”
NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said that the health service had faced a “twindemic” of flu and Covid-19.
“Our extensive planning ahead of winter has helped to boost capacity – from extra 111 and 999 call handlers, to new falls services and more beds – and we now aim to build on that progress to help speed up care and improve the experiences of patients.”
The government said that the plan builds on the virtual wards already in place in the NHS, which see patients treated from home while monitored by medics either through daily visits or through video calls.
The plan will see urgent community response teams scaled up, with hopes that it will increase the number of referrals and patients seen by healthcare staff within two hours.
The government pointed to £14.1bn available for health and care services over the next two years, as announced in the autumn statement.
James Jamieson, chairman of the Local Government Association, said: “We are pleased to see the focus on expanding community health and care services and the recognition of the importance of therapy and recovery support to get people back home following discharge.
“Collaboration and a focus on outcomes will be key to successful delivery of the plan.”
