Staying in Hospital
Hospital at Home
RUH Hospital at Home (RUH@Home)
RUH@Home provides medical consultant-led, hospital level care in patients' own homes as a safe alternative to a hospital stay.
RUH@Home supports patients who would otherwise require care in hospital.
This may include:
- Step-up care, helping patients avoid hospital admission following referral from their GP, Emergency Department (ED), Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) or other healthcare professionals
- Step-down care, supporting earlier discharge from hospital by enabling patients to continue receiving treatment, monitoring and specialist support at home
Patients remain under the care of an RUH consultant-led team throughout their treatment and receive the same high standards of care they would expect in hospital, delivered in the comfort and familiarity of their own home.
How does RUH@Home work?
RUH@Home is a medical consultant-led multi-disciplinary team comprising doctors, nurses, therapists, healthcare support workers and administrative staff.
Each patient receives an individualised care plan based on their clinical needs.
Depending on those needs, care may include:
- Clinical assessment and monitoring
- Blood tests and other investigations
- Intravenous therapies and medication management
- Therapy and rehabilitation support
- Remote monitoring where appropriate
- Access to hospital diagnostics and specialist review when required
Patients may receive face-to-face visits from members of the clinical team, supported by regular consultant review, multi-disciplinary team discussions and remote monitoring where appropriate.
Throughout their episode of care, patients remain under the responsibility of the RUH@Home team. Once hospital level care is no longer required, patients are discharged back to the care of their GP and community services as appropriate.
What are the benefits?
Receiving care at home allows many patients to recover in familiar surroundings while remaining under the care of a consultant-led multi-disciplinary team.
Virtual wards, including RUH@Home, provide hospital-level care at home, giving patients greater choice while maintaining access to the treatment, monitoring and support they need.
Benefits may include:
- Avoiding an unnecessary hospital admission
- Returning home sooner following a hospital stay
- Recovering in a familiar and comfortable environment
- Maintaining independence, mobility and daily routines
- Remaining close to family, carers and support networks
- Reducing exposure to hospital-acquired infections
- Avoiding some of the complications associated with prolonged hospital stays, such as deconditioning, falls and delirium
- Receiving personalised, patient-centred care tailored to individual needs
- Accessing hospital level assessment, treatment, monitoring and diagnostics while remaining at home where appropriate
Evidence from virtual wards across the NHS shows high levels of patient satisfaction, with the vast majority of patients saying they would recommend the service. Virtual wards have also been associated with lower rates of hospital-acquired infection and functional decline compared with equivalent inpatient care.
Our aim is to deliver safe, effective and compassionate care that puts patients and families at the heart of decision-making, enabling people to receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
Who can be referred?
Patients may be considered for RUH@Home if they:
- Are aged 18 or over
- Have a GP in Bath and North East Somerset or Wiltshire
- Require acute medical care that can be safely delivered at home
- Are clinically suitable for management within the service*
- Are willing to receive care at home
*All referrals are reviewed by the RUH@Home clinical team to ensure the service is appropriate for the patient's individual needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can I ask to be treated at home?
Yes. If you think you or a family member may benefit from RUH@Home, please discuss this with your healthcare professional. All patients undergo a clinical assessment to determine whether the service is suitable and safe for their needs.
Q. Is RUH@Home safe?
Yes. Since launching in January 2021, RUH@Home has safely supported more than 12,000 patients to receive hospital level care at home.
If a patient's condition changes, we can quickly adapt their care plan, increase support, arrange specialist review or, where necessary, facilitate a return to hospital. Patient safety is at the heart of everything we do.
Q. What happens if my condition gets worse?
The RUH@Home team closely monitors all patients throughout their treatment. If your condition deteriorates, the team will review you promptly and arrange any changes to your care that may be needed, including additional visits, outpatient review or, where necessary, transfer back to hospital.
Q. Is RUH@Home only about freeing up hospital beds?
No. It is an established model of care that enables patients to receive appropriate hospital level treatment in their own homes. For many patients, recovering at home can be more comfortable and can help maintain independence, mobility and wellbeing while still receiving specialist medical oversight.