The Hospital at Home service operates from 8.00am – 8.30pm, 7 days a week, to support patients from across Forth Valley who require additional medical treatment and support to enable them to recover at home, rather than having to be admitted to hospital.
Who can access the service?
Hospital at Home focuses primarily on frail, older people with an acute illness who require more intensive support for a period to time to help them recover after they have been discharged from hospital or to prevent them from having to be admitted to hospital.
People who meet certain medical criteria can referred by a GP, Senior decision maker, Scottish Ambulance Service, or hospital staff.
How does the service work?
The Hospital at Home service is staffed by a multidisciplinary team made up of Consultants, GPs, Nurses, Allied Health Professionals (including a Dietician, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapist) and health care support workers who all specialise in the care of older people with acute medical problems in the community. Patients referred to the service will be assessed in their own home, and a care and treatment plan will be developed by the Hospital at Home team with input from the individual and their family.
The Hospital at Home team provides treatment and support whilst monitoring the patient’s condition to allow them to be cared for in the comfort of their own home. Patients can also be referred for hospital investigations, if required, and their care and treatment will be monitored and reviewed by the multidisciplinary team until they are well enough to be discharged from the service. Any further rehabilitation or home support would also be arranged, depending on a person’s individual needs.
What are the benefits of the service?
For many patients, the prospect of being admitted to a hospital can be upsetting as it can mean separating them from the people, pets and familiar surroundings that create a feeling of safety. Many older people admitted to hospital can also experience a loss of independence, lower self-esteem, and reduced mobility.
That is why admission to hospital should only happen when clinically necessary and, in many cases, the Hospital at Home service is able to provide the treatment and support required to allow people to be cared for in the comfort of their own home.
