Home Group welcomes report on hospital admissions

Published by M Parker for Home Group in Health and also in Central Government, Housing, Local Government

THE UK’s largest care and support provider has warmly welcomed a report which states more can be done to help keep elderly people out of hospital.

Home Group backs the findings of a new report conducted by health policy charity The King’s Fund which suggests increased use of innovative services could significantly reduce the number of admissions to Accident and Emergency departments and average length of stay.

The report suggests there is a potential for 7,000 fewer hospital beds across England with 2.3m fewer overnight stays. The reduction would lead to £462m in savings each year.

The report backs Home Group’s argument that the NHS can achieve greater efficiencies by making use of external agencies.

Home Group’s experience running its A Good Death pilot scheme and its Under One Roof report, which it commissioned from think tank Demos, shows that joined up service provision allows people with health care needs to spend less time in hospital.

The A Good Death scheme reduced hospital admissions by 14.3% and the time clients spent in hospital was reduced by an average of 29 days.

Rachael Byrne, Home Group’s director of care and support, said: “We’re pleased to see this report from The King’s Fund which backs what we have been saying for a while.

“By joining up various strands of adult care provision the NHS and partners can provide a service which is better for clients and the taxpayer.”

• Copies of The King’s Fund report “Explaining variation in use of emergency hospital beds by patients over 65” can be found at: http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/emergency_beds.html