The NHS is today unveiling a radical plan to ease the hospital crisis – pledging 800 new ambulances and 5,000 extra beds as part of a £1 billion investment over the next two years.
The urgent and emergency response plan, backed by the Prime Minister, will help take pressure off the NHS – in time to put it to voters before the next general election, scheduled for January 2025.
This is intended to free up beds and reduce waiting times to avoid patients being treated on trolleys in corridors.
Some services, such as radiotherapy and physiotherapy, are not carried out on wards, but at the patients’ homes.
The emergency and urgent care plan will focus on freeing up beds and reducing waiting times to avoid patients being treated on trolleys in corridors.
In a radical move, the elderly and infirm who fall will soon be treated at home through video calls instead of being taken to hospital.
The government said the plan builds on the virtual wards already in place across the NHS, where patients are treated at home and monitored through video calls and visits.
About 3,000 “hospital-to-door” beds will be created for next winter, with the hope of accommodating about 50,000 each month.
It is hoped the changes will allow 76 per cent to be seen in the emergency room in under four hours by March 2024 and improve ambulance response times for urgent conditions including stroke or chest pain.
The plan has been treated with caution, but ministers have been warned that action alone will not solve the crisis.
Patricia Marquis, director of the Royal College of Nursing for England, said caring for the elderly at home was dependent on “depleted” community services at a time of “severe shortages of nursing staff”.
The 800 new ambulances will include 100 specialized mental health vehicles to ease pressure on emergency rooms
She added: “Without investment in human resources, this plan will make no difference.”
Cabinet Secretary Michael Gove was asked on Sky News on Sunday whether the government is being forced to do this because of a shortage of hospital beds.
“There are people who need care in the hospital who can be well cared for at home,” he said. At every hospital with a large emergency room, emergency rooms open the same day, helping thousands avoid overnight stays each week. The units enable rapid assessment and diagnosis.
The plans would expedite discharge for those able to travel and provide rehabilitation and physical therapy at home.
Earlier this month, ambulance workers took part in a strike in London over wages
Successful aspects of the NHS Winter Response will be rolled out throughout the year.
The 800 new ambulances will include 100 specialized mental health vehicles to ease the pressure on emergency rooms. The number of emergency medical technicians will also increase, providing a new entry route to work in the NHS, along with the increased use of student paramedics and the training of more mental health professionals.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Emergency care and emergency care face huge challenges, but we have an ambitious and credible plan to solve them… I am committed to implementing it so that families across the country can access to the care they need.” “
Louise Ansari, national director of Healthwatch England, said: “It is a very positive development to see people in their own homes and to get those who need hospital treatment back to where they live more quickly.”
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
