Scotland’s NHS is set to grow its most innovative hospital without walls by putting care where it belongs.
At home.
A new £85 million investment will support the expansion of frontline frailty services, helping more patients receive hospital-level treatment in their own homes while easing pressure across Scotland’s hospitals.
The ‘Hospital at Home’ service will grow to 2,000 beds by December 2026, making it the largest single hospital resource in the country, but without a single ward.
It’s aimed especially at frail and older people, often living with serious conditions such as heart or lung disease, infections, or recovering after a fall.
By treating these patients at home, the service helps them stay close to family, friends and pets, while reducing the risks of hospital-acquired infections and unnecessary delays in care.
It also gives hospitals the breathing space they urgently need.
Speaking during a visit to Falkirk Community Hospital, First Minister John Swinney said the investment would help unblock some of the most pressing challenges facing the NHS.
“I am resolutely focused on reducing wait times and clearing the blockages caused by delayed discharges,” he said.
“This funding will allow many patients to receive world-class NHS care in their own homes without having to travel to hospital when it isn’t necessary.”
Mr Swinney described the expansion as a “transformational” step that would free up capacity for staff and improve patient flow right across the system.
He praised the team at NHS Forth Valley for setting a powerful example.
“I’ve seen first-hand the level of care and professionalism they bring into people’s homes,” he said.
Dr Sarah Henderson, a consultant geriatrician leading the Forth Valley team, said thousands of patients have already benefited.
“Many of the people we support would otherwise have had to come into hospital,” she said.
“Being able to stay in their own surroundings, with family nearby, makes an enormous difference and the feedback from families has been overwhelmingly positive.”
One of those families is the Denholms.
When Marion’s husband Bill developed a chest infection, the Hospital at Home team stepped in.
He received visits from doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, a dietitian and a speech and language therapist all in the comfort of his own home.
“We had the full team here, and I could contact them at any time,” said Marion.
“It made all the difference.
“I honestly can’t praise them enough.”
By summer 2025, the plan is to introduce frailty services in every A&E department across Scotland, aiming to reduce the length of stay for vulnerable patients.
The Scottish Government says this is part of a wider shift in healthcare delivery, backed by record health and social care funding of £21 billion for 2025–26.
And for thousands of families like the Denholms, it could mean faster recovery, more dignity and a chance to heal where the heart is.
