Hospital at Home for frailty: Current situation and future potential
The British Geriatrics Society has produced a report (opens new window)on Hospital at Home services for older people. This explains how they are currently provided and how they might develop in the future as a key part of community-based healthcare. The report is endorsed by the UK Hospital at Home Society.
Hospital at Home is a safe and effective alternative to acute hospital bedded care for people who are sick enough to be in hospital. Hospital-level care provided at home means people living with frailty are not exposed to some of the risks arising from long stays in hospital, such as infections and deconditioning.
There is mounting evidence for the effectiveness of Hospital at Home services, which are greatly valued by those who use them. With 35,000 people a year benefiting from this alternative to hospital in England, further development of Hospital at Home should be encouraged as a key part of the Government’s ‘left shift’ from hospital to community.