Partnership enabled by NHS SBS framework saves 23,000 bed days in one NHS Trust

Thanks to a partnership with HomeLink Healthcare, The James Paget University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has freed up over 23,000 bed days since the two organisations started working together using an NHS SBS framework to easily and quickly complete the procurement process.

The service, known as Paget at Home, creates up to an additional ward of capacity every day by providing treatment and care at home to patients who would otherwise have remained in hospital. The operational headroom created contributes to productivity benefits, while the bed days are costing less than half the equivalent in-hospital care.

Paget at Home started as an Early Supported Discharge service, which included clinical care at home and Bridging Packages of Care. It has developed over four years to cover a range of pathways, including supporting the Virtual Ward, IV Therapy, Discharge to Assess and Reablement.

The role of the NHS SBS Framework

The NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) framework played a crucial role in facilitating this partnership. The framework is designed to support NHS Trusts by providing a compliant and efficient procurement route for various services. In this case, the framework helped streamline the procurement process, ensuring that HomeLink Healthcare could quickly and effectively partner with the James Paget University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

The NHS SBS Patient Discharge and Mental Health Step Down Beds Services Framework reduces the time to contract compared to a full tender, saving time and resources. This framework allowed HomeLink Healthcare to fully mobilise the service through a ‘test and learn’ phase to full ramp up in under 12 weeks.

By using the framework, NHS Trusts can more easily access flexible, home-based care options like Paget at Home, which increases hospital capacity and improves patient flow.

How does the service work?

An on-site team pro-actively identify patients who are medically optimised or no longer meet the criteria to reside and enable same-day transfer home. Home based wrap-around care is provided by a HomeLink Healthcare multidisciplinary team. The on-site team manage the ongoing care, co-ordinating with consultants, referrers and community providers, minimising the impact on hospital staff. The service is supported by a 24/7 on-call service.

For each new pathway, HomeLink Healthcare carry out a feasibility assessment using hospital data. Clinical governance is co-produced, and pathways are rapidly prototyped, evaluated and rolled out, using technology as an enabler where appropriate. A comprehensive suite of KPIs is implemented, and real-time data allows the team to identify best practice quickly and apply corrective actions as necessary.

The benefits of the service, facilitated through the NHS SBS Framework

Increased capacity and improved patient flow: Over the last four years, Paget at Home has supported over 1,200 patients and released over 23,000 bed days, saving an average of 20 bed days every day. This is the equivalent of almost a whole hospital ward. With a capacity of around 500 in-patient beds, these 20 ‘at home beds’ effectively increase hospital capacity by four percent.

Enhanced patient outcomes: Patients reported, on average, a 22% improvement in clinical outcomes (EQ-5D-5L) by the end of their treatment. 99% also said they would recommend HomeLink/Paget at Home to friends and family. By supporting patients across a largely rural area, our service also helps address inequalities in access to care.

Cost-savings: When occupancy levels are optimised, the cost of Hospital at Home services are significantly lower than the equivalent in-patient care. Improved patient outcomes mean smaller ongoing care packages, which are easier to source and lower in cost. The costs of building new hospital wards are also avoided.

Key stats (March 2020 – September 2024):

• Over 1,200 patients have been treated at home
• Patients spend, on average, 20 days fewer in hospital
• Patients reported an average 22% improvement in clinical outcomes
• The service costs 45% compared to in-patient care
• 99% of patients would highly recommend the service
• 100% of client contacts said they would recommend us
• SBS Framework allows new pathways to be mobilised in as little as 4 weeks.

Andy Collett, Head of Business Development at HomeLink Healthcare commented:

“The collaboration enhances patient care and streamlines the discharge process, ensuring patients receive the best possible care in the comfort of their homes. By leveraging the NHS SBS Framework, we can provide high-quality, efficient, and patient-centred care, ultimately benefiting both patients and the healthcare system as a whole.”

About HomeLink Healthcare

HomeLink Healthcare have been delivering Hospital at Home services since 2016 and provide a solution for the future. We deliver system benefits for ICBs, Trusts and the community. Our services improve patient outcomes and flow, reduce waiting lists and save costs. In our recent survey 100% of client contacts said they would recommend us.

HomeLink Healthcare is a named supplier on the NHS SBS Patient Discharge and Mental Health Step Down Beds Services Framework Agreement, Lot 1 Discharge to Assess and Lot 3 Integrated Care at Home. By using the framework, a new service can be set up in 8 to 12 weeks.

HomeLink Healthcare’s feasibility assessments often reveal around a ward’s worth of patients across the hospital that could complete their recovery at home or avoid admission, with the right Hospital at Home provision in place.

Get in touch

To discuss how HomeLink Healthcare could help your organisation or to request a free feasibility assessment, call us on (020) 3137 5370 or contact us.