Health Secretary outlines ‘Home First’ approach
Expanded Hospital at Home services, a public awareness campaign and targeted investment to reduce waiting lists are all part of a newly-unveiled health preparedness plan for winter.
A collective effort is critical in the months ahead to ease pressures on the NHS, Health Secretary Angela Constance said as she launched the new national winter health plan.
In a statement to the Scottish Parliament, the Health Secretary set out several actions to provide guidance to health and social care systems ahead of winter, including:
- an increased focus on community care, with over 10,000 patients benefiting from an expansion of Hospital at Home service
- a Home First approach to healthcare
- a new public awareness campaign to help people access the right care, in the right place, at the right time which will launch at the end of October
- renewed calls for eligible patients to get vaccinated against seasonal viruses – including flu – which hospitalised almost 6,700 people last winter
- winter-specific planned care funding from the £90 million announced earlier this year to reduce waiting lists for operations and procedures
- further implementation of a new national plan to improve the flow of patients through hospital and free up bed capacity.
Ms Constance said: “A collective effort will be critical in the months ahead as we look to support our NHS through the winter. There is a role for everyone in Scotland to play.
“Seasonal illnesses, including flu, are already beginning to circulate, and I encourage everyone who is eligible to come forward for vaccination when invited. Last winter, almost 5,000 adults and 1,700 children in Scotland were hospitalised as a result of flu. Getting vaccinated protects you and those around you.
“It’s also important people know how and where to access care. Attendances at A&E remain extremely high, and many people could be treated more appropriately in services closer to home.
“A&E should be used for emergencies. Choosing the right service can help people receive advice and treatment more quickly while ensuring emergency care remains available for those who need it most.”