A report published by Healthcare Improvement Scotland – the organisation responsible for supporting the national Hospital at Home programme - shows the initiative prevented around 15,500 people having to stay in hospital in the past year.

In addition, the report shows in 2024-25:

• Around £16m saved as Hospital at Home admissions in most cases cost less than hospital admissions 
• In estimated £39m saved due to reduced healthcare usage in the six months following hospital at home discharge
• More than 1,600 patients were treated on average each month – up from 1,400 on the previous year
• More than 650 extra hospital beds and almost 500 care home admissions would have been required over the year if hospital at home services did not exist.

Belinda Robertson, associate director of improvement at Healthcare Improvement Scotland, said: ‘It seems that Hospital at Home is very much here to stay. We are finding that more NHS boards are not just increasing the numbers receiving acute hospital care at home, but that their services are maturing, becoming more efficient and being set up in such a way as to ensure they are sustainable.

‘For patients, the benefits of being able to be treated in the comfort and familiarity of their own homes is clear to see and this is set to continue. Keeping patients in their own homes means they can stay in familiar surroundings without the need to separate them from family and friends.'

In response, health secretary Neil Gray, said: ‘I am delighted to see the positive impact Hospital at Home is having across Scotland, particularly for elderly patients who can now receive high-quality care without the need to travel to hospital.'

First Minister John Swinney recently announced funding of £85m, which will enable 2,000 beds to be made available across Scotland through the Hospital at Home service.