The Government is releasing an ’emergency plan’ to tackle pressure from the NHS

An “urgent and urgent” care plan is due to be unveiled on Monday to address the serious pressure the NHS is facing.

It comes as Health Secretary Steve Barclay admits there is “no quick fix” to address the situation.

Tens of thousands of elderly and vulnerable people are to receive tailored support at home each month as the Government scrambles to help expanded NHS services.

Mr Barclay has vowed the new plan will help ease the pressure on hospitals’ expanded A&E services.

He said: “The health and care service is under significant pressure and while there is no quick fix, we can take immediate action to reduce long waits for urgent and emergency care.

“By expanding community care, 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 treat 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 the pressure on our busy emergency departments.”

His comments come amid a strategy to shift some NHS care from struggling hospitals.

Urgent community response teams will be bolstered under the new plans in the hope that this will increase the number of referrals and patients seen by healthcare workers within two hours.

Officials said the plan would standardize and expand current falls and frailty treatment services, with more services in place for next winter.

The Government said the plan builds on the virtual wards already in place in the NHS, where patients are treated from their homes while being monitored by medics through either daily visits or video calls.

About 3,000 virtual beds are to be created by next winter, with the plan envisaging that around 50,000 people could be cared for from home a month if ministers have the ambition.

The government’s new plan comes amid multiple reports that hospitals are struggling to cope with the intense pressure on staff as work stoppages by nurses continue as disputes over pay and working conditions continue.

Latest data shows delays in ambulance handovers outside hospitals in England have fallen to their lowest level this winter.

But one in five patients is still waiting at least half an hour to be transferred to the emergency room.

NHS chief Amanda Pritchard has said the health service has recently been battling a “twindemic” of flu and Covid-19.

She said: “Our extensive planning ahead of winter has helped increase capacity – from additional 111 and 999 call workers to new fall services and more beds – and we now want to build on those advances to accelerate supplies and improve patient experiences.’

The government pointed out that £14.1 billion is available for health and care services over the next two years, as announced in the autumn statement.

James Jamieson, Chair of the Local Government Association, said: “We welcome the focus on expanding community health and care services and recognizing the importance of therapy and recovery support to get people home after discharge.

“Collaboration and a focus on results will be key to the successful implementation of the plan.”

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