More home care to be provided by NHS

Health Secretary Andy Burnham has set out measures to shape NHS services around individual patients, with a promise that more home care will be provided.

A report released by the Audit Commission shows that older people who have the opportunity to be looked after in their own home are happier and there are less costs to the taxpayer – for example, for the cost of just one month’s care package, a home can be equipped with sensors and pagers to help a family look after a relative with dementia.

The Health Secretary has promised more home dialysis sessions and chemotherapy in the community, stating that this will mean that patients can benefit from more convenient services that help produce better outcomes and can be more efficient.

Currently around 7,000 patients across England could benefit from home dialysis – cutting out the need for regular long visits to hospital and allowing them to lead more normal lives. Providing haemodialysis at home means that patients can tailor their dialysis sessions around their lifestyle, which can lead to benefits such as better blood pressure control, less reliance on medication, and fewer admissions to hospital.

As well as benefits to patients, the annual costs of home haemodialysis could be up to 25% less than providing dialysis in a hospital or renal centre, and could lead to long term savings once initial set-up costs are recovered.

Other measures include providing more services at home for children and young people who have acute or long-term conditions or disability or palliative care needs, and giving more people the option to die at home if they wish to.

Health Secretary Andy Burnham said:

“The time has come for the NHS to make a decisive shift in providing more care out of hospitals and in the patient’s community and home.
“For too long, services have been organised to fit the convenience of the system. A great NHS will put the convenience of the patient first, and move services towards them where it is safe to do so. But care in the home can also achieve better results and save money.”

“Dialysis at home is a perfect example, which can mean patients no longer have to worry about long trips to their nearest hospital three times a week while also enjoying better clinical outcomes.”

“By making NHS services truly people-centred and ensuring that patients have access to high quality, integrated and efficient community services, the NHS could save up to £2.7bn a year – meaning a better service for patients, and a more productive service for taxpayers.”