NHS Scotland’s Hospital at Home (HAH) service has saved the service over £55 million and 15,470 patients from having to attend traditional hospitals over the last year, according to a new study today.

Health Improvement Scotland (HIS) found the service, which provides short, time-limited, acute episodes of care delivered by teams of health professionals while remaining in their own home, avoided 129,000 nights of hospital stays in 2024-25, a number they estimate could have been as high as 220,000 if the HAH’s shorter stays were considered.

Noting First Minister John Swinney’s recent pledge to expand the service from 525 notional beds to 2,000 by the end of 2026, HIS’s Belinda Robertson said: “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.”

Welcoming report, Scottish 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.”