A new report from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) reveals that clinical homecare services could save the NHS more than £1.67 billion per year, while significantly improving patient outcomes and access to care.
The report, Bringing Healthcare Home: A Blueprint for Collaborative Clinical Homecare, highlights the transformative potential of homecare services, which allow patients to receive treatment in their own homes — either independently or with clinical support.
A study in Kent and Medway found that patients receiving homecare spent 703 fewer days in hospital beds, saving £770,101.35. When extrapolated across the 640,000 patients currently receiving homecare in the UK, this equates to 1.52 million bed days saved, a potential £1.67 billion annual saving for the NHS.
Homecare services are primarily funded by pharmaceutical companies (80%), with the NHS contributing the remaining 20%. Despite misconceptions, these services are provided at no additional cost to the NHS, with industry investing an estimated £173 million annually into homecare delivery.
Survey data from NHS professionals supports the model’s effectiveness:
- 71% said homecare improves geographical access to care
- 57% reported better health outcomes for patients
- 56% noted improved treatment adherence
However, the report warns that without urgent investment and reform, the full potential of homecare may not be realised.
The report identifies several barriers, including inequitable access, outdated paper-based systems, and limited funding. To address these, the ABPI recommends:
- Greater collaboration between the NHS, homecare providers, and pharmaceutical companies
- Centralised contracting to reduce administrative burdens and ensure equitable access
- Flexible service design to meet individual patient needs
- Digitisation of NHS-provider interfaces, including electronic prescribing
- A more competitive provider market to drive innovation and service quality
David Watson, Executive Director for Patient access at the ABPI, commented:
“Homecare provides a lifeline for those living with long-term and chronic conditions and is a real strength of the UK’s health system. Clinical homecare is a vital part of the shift from hospital to community-based services that the NHS Ten Year Plan sets out – but it will only work if we invest, modernise and collaborate to improve the systems already in place.”
These recommendations align with the NHS 10-Year Plan’s ambition to shift care closer to home and reduce pressure on hospitals through neighbourhood health services.
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