As part of a new 'Urgent and Emergency Care Plan' to reduce waiting times, elderly and vulnerable people will receive tailored support at home, according to the government.

Community services including falls and frailty teams will be scaled up, with up to 50,000 people a month supported by clinicians at home in ‘virtual wards’. Urgent community response teams will also be scaled up to provide more patients with support at home within two hours.

The plan is expected to be published tomorrow. Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

"Up to 20 per cent of hospital admissions are avoidable with the right care in place. By expanding the care provided in the community, the most vulnerable, frail and elderly patients can be better supported to continue living independently or recover at home.

This includes rolling out more services to help with falls and frailty as well as supporting up to 50,000 patients a month to recover in the comfort of their own homes. Not only will patients benefit from better experiences and outcomes, it will ease pressure on our busy emergency departments."

NHS Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard said:

"The NHS has faced unprecedented pressure this winter – with the “twindemic” of flu and Covid becoming a reality, alongside surging demand for all services, from GP appointments to A&E attendances and ambulance call outs.

Our extensive planning ahead of winter has helped to boost capacity – from extra 111 and 999 call handlers, to new falls services and more beds - and we now aim to build on that progress to help speed up care and improve the experiences of patients.

Boosting care in the community and treating more people at home is key to recovery – it is better for patients and their families, as well as easing pressure on NHS services."