Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care has announced an increased investment into the Scottish government’s Hospital at Home programme, taking the total funding available to health and social care partnerships to over £10m.

To support an extra 150 ‘virtual beds’, Michael Matheson says a further £3.6m has been allocated to Hospital at Home services.

In an effort to support patients who do not or are not able to attend hospital, Hospital at Home is designed to a provide safe, patient-centred alternative to acute hospital admissions.

Patients receive treatment in their own home, reducing the emotional impact of being admitted and reducing pressures on hospital sites, with many hospitals across Scotland operating at or near capacity.

The additional money matches additional investment into the service made exactly a year ago.

Announcing the funding, Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care Michael Matheson said:

“Hospital at Home has already proved to be very successful and most importantly, beneficial to patients and the wider system.

“That’s why we have allocated a further £3.6m so more people can be managed at home rather than in hospital.

“Patients have spoken very positively about the service and it also reduces pressure on A&E and the Scottish Ambulance Service by avoiding admissions and accelerating discharge. Hospital beds will always be available to people who need them, but this is a better alternative for many.”

From 2020-2022, the Scottish government says it has made available more than £8m for the Hospital at Home programme, and this investment for 2023-24 takes the total funding of the service to more than £10.7m.

In total, Hospital at Home services are provided in 21 Health and Social Care Partnerships, providing 312 beds – including providing services across remote and rural areas such as Highland, Western Isles and Scottish Borders.

Currently, this virtual bed provision is equivalent to the capacity of St John’s Hospital in Livingston or University Hospital Ayr.

Ministers hope the funding boost will increase patients managed through Hospital at Home by 50% – an additional 156 beds, taking the total to 468 beds.

Belinda Robertson, Associate Director of Improvement at Healthcare Improvement Scotland said:

“We’re delighted the Scottish government will continue to fund the development of Hospital At Home services. An increasing number of patients are experiencing the benefits of receiving acute hospital care at home.

“More and more NHS boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships are embracing Hospital At Home by establishing and developing services. We will continue to support NHS boards and Partnerships to further develop the services they provide, and share learning across all Hospital At Home services.”

A recently published progress report by Healthcare Improvement Scotland revealed a 68% increase in patients managed by Hospital at Home services – 7,369 patients managed between April and November 2022, compared to 4,374 the same period the previous year. 

Funding will be available to both existing services and services in areas yet to develop Hospital at Home, with improvement support from Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS).

Read more: A pharmacist on the frontline; Auditor General: Difficult choices for Scotland's NHS; Who are Scotland's new health and care ministers?; £1.5m CAMHS centre opens; Briefing: Cabinet Secretary plans for health and care  

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