NHS Confederation welcomes government announcement that patients are set to benefit from cutting-edge NHS care from their own homes

Responding to the government's announcement that patients to benefit from cutting-edge NHS care from their own homes, Dr Layla McCay, director of policy at the NHS Confederation, said:

“Healthcare leaders will welcome this announcement which shows ambition to modernise care delivery through the use of digital tools.

“Embracing remote monitoring and self-reporting tools has huge potential to make care more convenient, free up clinical time and ease pressure on frontline services. The ability to deliver high-quality care at home empowers patients and enables clinicians to focus on those with greatest need.

“Freeing up 500,000 appointments every year is significant, but the elective backlog is in the millions, and it is vitally important that we see steps taken in the forthcoming NHS 10 Year Workforce Plan to address that.

“We must also be careful not to widen health inequalities and ensure that patients without access to smartphones reliable internet get the support that they need.”