Home care scheme safe for child patients - study

The Evelina London Children's Hospital's Hospital at Home service has released 11,000 bed days for pediatric patients in four years, allowing 4,427 children to either avoid hospital admissions or shorten their stays. Between 2018 and 2022, nurses provided hospital-level care, including medication administration and wound treatment, directly in patients' homes. Dr. Ronny Cheung, the study's lead researcher, advocates for broader implementation, citing improved safety and effectiveness compared to traditional hospital care. Parent Debora Mansi shared her experience, noting an 85% reduction in hospital time for her son Gui, who has complex medical needs.

The initiative is part of the NHS strategy to reduce hospital admissions and is being adopted by various trusts across England. Mansi described the program as a "game changer," allowing her son to focus more on schoolwork and family time. Cheung's findings support the expansion of this model, which has previously shown success in adult care. The study was published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood journal.