First Minister John Swinney praised the work of local healthcare staff during a visit to NHS Forth Valley’s Hospital at Home Service.

During the visit he also announced additional investment to expand the service across Scotland, including £4.4m for NHS Forth Valley.

This will be used to expand the Hospital at Home service further as well as develop local heart failure, respiratory and Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) services to help more people remain at home and still access the specialist care they require. It will also support wider measures to further expand local frailty services and reduce the number of patients who experience delays in being discharged from hospital.

The ‘Hospital at Home’ service predominantly provides care for frail, older people in their own homes and who may be suffering with acute illnesses and health conditions, including respiratory and cardiac conditions, infections, or require treatment after a fall.

Keeping patients in their own homes ensures they can stay in familiar surroundings rather than be separated from family, friends and pets while also helping to reduce some of the risks associated with hospital admissions such as increased risk of catching infections.

Speaking during a visit to Falkirk Community Hospital, where he met clinicians leading the Hospital at Home service across NHS Forth Valley, First Minister John Swinney said:

“This investment will ensure many patients can receive first class NHS care in the comfort of their own homes and not have to travel to a hospital where it isn’t required.

“Expanding Hospital at Home to 2,000 beds by December 2026 will create the largest ‘hospital’ in the country, thereby improving the flow of patients throughout the NHS and generating greater capacity for staff. The staff delivering this service at Falkirk Community Hospital are testament to the success of Hospital at Home and it’s been eye opening to see the effort that goes into provide this first-class care.

Dr Sarah Henderson, Consultant Geriatrician, NHS Forth Valley’s Hospital at Home Service, said: “Our local Hospital at Home team do an amazing job to help ensure that patients, who in the past would have to be come into hospital, are able to remain in their own homes and access the specialist clinical care and support they require.

“Over the last four years the service has helped thousands of local patients and the feedback we have received from them and their families has been overwhelmingly positive as they really appreciate everything the team does to help them stay out of hospital and in familiar surroundings at home, close to their family, friends and pets.”

“I am delighted that the additional funding announced today will help us expand the Hospital at Home service further as well as develop local heart failure, respiratory and Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) services to help more people remain at home and still access the specialist care they require.”

Patient feedback (Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire)

Falkirk (Stenhousemuir)
Marion Denholm’s husband Bill was recently supported by NHS Forth Valley’s Hospital at Home team after he developed a chest infection. Mrs Denholm, from Stenhousemuir, said: “There are no words to adequately describe the care and attention my husband received while under the care of Hospital at Home. We’ve had doctors, advanced nurse practitioners, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, a dietitian and a speech and language therapist all visit our home to provide the care and treatment he required so he didn’t have to go into hospital.

“This meant he was able to stay in familiar surroundings with his family around him at all times and still receive the same type of care he would have received in hospital. I also felt very supported as I could contact the Team direct if I had any worries or concerns. I can’t praise the Hospital at Home service enough and I am sure many other local families feel the same. It also makes so much more sense to treat people in their own homes if you can rather than occupy a bed in a busy hospital – it’s definitely a win-win for everyone involved.”

Stirling (Plean)
John Kenny’s father (also John Kenny) from Plean is currently being supported by the Hospital at Home team. He said: “I’d never heard of the service before, but my dad needed more support, and he is definitely much happier being treated in his own home.

“The Team have been great and helped coordinate the equipment he needed as well as providing an oxygen machine for him to use at home. They are able to assess his needs and make sure he has everything he needs.”

Clackmannanshire (Dollar)
Maureen Geddes from Dollar has been supported by the Hospital at Home team twice in the last year. She said: “I become unwell last year before Christmas and was supported by the Hospital at Home team for several weeks.

More recently, I was seen by the team for a few days after I was discharged from hospital and they were able to provide support on a daily basis which was very reassuring.”