A new report from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has found that people being treated in their homes could save the NHS more than £1.67 billion each year.

The report, Bringing Healthcare Home: A Blueprint for Collaborative Clinical Homecare highlights the potential of homecare services, either independently or with clinical support.

A study in Kent and Medway found that patients receiving homecare spent 703 fewer days in hospital beds, which saved 3770,101.35. When expanded to include the 640,000 patients receiving homeware 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 80 per cent funded by pharmaceutical companies, with the NHS contributing the other 20 per cent. These services are provided at no extra cost to the NHS, with industry  investing an estimated £173 million annually into homecare delivery.

Survey data from NHS professionals found that 71 said that homeware improves geographical access to care, 57 per cent reported better health outcomes for patients, and 56 per cent saw improved treatment adherence.

The report urges for more investment and reform into homecare, in order for its full potential to be realised. Barriers identified include inequitable access, limited funding and outdated paper-based systems.

To address these, the ABPI gives recommendations such as better collaboration between the NHS, homecare providers, and pharmaceutical companies, and flexible service design to meet individual patient needs.

David Watson, executive director for patient access at the ABPI, said: “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 homeware 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.”