Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, North West Anglia, Northampton and Shropshire use the ilarna platform that supports patient discharge by helping people who are medically fit to leave hospital access the right support at home.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust was the first trust to partner with ilarna and has been working with the platform for 15 months. Since November 2024, more than 1,300 hospital bed days have been released, helping patients to return home, with the right support around them.

Helen Griffith, discharge co-ordinator at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, said: ‘Since the introduction of ilarna, our privately funded patients and their families have experienced a very positive and reassuring impact. The ilarna team works closely with patients, families, the discharge team and ward staff, ensuring people can return home in a timely, safe and stress‑free way.'

The platform places experienced clinical discharge co-ordinators directly on NHS hospital sites, working alongside ward and discharge teams. With patient consent, they help identify appropriate home support – often within 24 to 48 hours – supporting people to return home safely while easing pressure on frontline services. The service is also delivering financial benefits, saving each trust an average of £50,000 per month – equivalent to around £3m a year across the five trusts.