A new 'Hospital at Home' initiative has been introduced by the Northern Trust to bring hospital-level treatment directly to residents in 15 care homes across East Antrim, aiming to reduce avoidable admissions.

Under the service, patients who meet specific clinical criteria can be treated in their own care home rather than being transferred to hospital, helping them avoid a ward stay and remain in familiar surroundings.

Care is delivered by a visiting multidisciplinary team that includes nurses, pharmacists, allied health professionals and a clinical consultant. Welcoming the rollout, the Trust's Director of Operations, Gillian Traub, said: "We are really pleased that we are now in a position to introduce this service in the Northern Trust. Providing care for people in the home setting can often have better outcomes. They can recover faster and it reduces the risks associated with staying in a hospital ward. This is particularly important for those who are older and frail as we know they are particularly vulnerable.

"In the Northern Trust area we care for an ageing population, often with complex health conditions and it's therefore vital that we put targeted measures in place so that we can support them and help reduce demand on our acute hospital services."

Sharon Bell, Manager at Clareview Nursing Home, said: "A hospital admission can often be stressful for our residents and their families. The new environment can cause confusion and anxiety and some patients can actually decline after being admitted to hospital. The introduction of the new service means that our residents can receive the acute care that they require while remaining here in the comfort and familiarity of their normal surroundings."

The Trust plans to extend Hospital at Home to additional settings in due course.



Information for residents and families/carers about the service is available within the participating care homes where it is currently operating.