14:00 – 15:15

Health and Social care is having to change radically in the recovery phase of the (COVID-19) pandemic to accelerate new ways of working that is safe and will deliver better experiences for patients keeping care as close to home as possible.

In response to winter pressures, NHS Scotland has been expanding capacity across a series of clinical pathways to make care come to the patient. These models have been developed at pace and by enthusiastic clinicians to expand virtual hospital capacity.

Importantly, the resultant care creates more person-centred options that avoid the need to move the patient into hospital for treatment of infection, acute respiratory exacerbations or acute frailty problems, giving more power and choice to patients.

Delivering care at home results in lower exposure to potential hospital related complications and diverts pressure from acute sites.  At a time of emerging technologies and new evidence, services that started as relatively small initiatives are now becoming a mainstream NHS provision. 

In this session, delegates will hear first-hand experience from clinicians who have worked in these services and patients who have experienced these relatively new models of care describing their experiences.