‘It was marvellous for mum’ — Hospital at Home expands into more East Antrim homes

Cheryl Lamont, pictured with her mother, Nan McVicker, who has received care through the Hospital at Home programme.

A 93-year-old woman has been able to receive hospital-level treatment in familiar surroundings as the Northern Health and Social Care Trust expands its Hospital at Home service into more care homes and people’s own homes.

Nan McVicker’s family said they “couldn’t commend it highly enough” after consultants visited her at home and provided the intravenous medication she needed while she was seriously ill.

Hospital treatment without an admission

The community-based service is designed for eligible patients whose condition would traditionally have required admission to hospital.

Instead, assessment, treatment and ongoing monitoring are delivered at home by a visiting multidisciplinary team that includes nurses, pharmacists, allied health professionals and a clinical consultant.

Nan’s daughter, Cheryl Lamont, said the family had not previously known that this type of care was available.

“Mum was very ill but they explained to us that they were going to make a referral to Hospital at the Home – we had never heard of the service so they explained what it was.

“The Consultants from the hospital were then out with mum a very short time later and they spent quite a bit of time with her as she needed intravenous drugs, et cetera.

“It was such a marvellous service for mum. I would just like to say a huge thank you to the team. As a family we couldn’t commend it highly enough.”

Service extended beyond care homes

Hospital at Home was initially introduced in a limited number of care homes in the East Antrim area at the end of 2025.

The Northern Trust has now extended it to support eligible patients living in their own homes, as well as more people in residential and nursing care.

The expansion means more patients can receive specialist treatment without the disruption of a hospital stay. It is also intended to help people retain their independence and leave hospital beds available for patients who require inpatient care.

Expansion ahead of winter pressures

The Trust said the development forms part of its preparations for increased pressure on health services during the winter months.

Jacqui Armstrong, the Trust’s Director of Allied Health Professions, Intermediate Care and Integrated Discharge, said patients, families and clinical teams had responded positively to the programme.

“The response to our Hospital at Home programme has been incredibly positive. Patients and their families have told us what a difference it has made to receive high-quality care in familiar surroundings, and our clinical teams have demonstrated that this model of care delivers excellent outcomes.

“Expanding the service into more care homes, as well as into people’s own homes is an important milestone. As we prepare for winter, it will help us provide more care closer to home while supporting our hospitals to care for those who need inpatient treatment most.

“This is just the beginning of our ambition to grow Hospital at Home and make it available to even more people in the years ahead.”

Who can currently be considered?

Referrals can be considered for patients who meet the service’s eligibility criteria and live within the following postcode areas:

• BT36 within the Northern Trust area

• BT37

• BT38

• BT39 in Ballynure, Ballyrobert and Ballyclare only

• BT40

The service can support eligible people in their own homes and those living in residential or nursing care homes.

Although its present reach remains concentrated in East Antrim, the Northern Trust has said it wants to develop the model further and make Hospital at Home available to more patients in other parts of the Trust area in the years ahead.