The Northern Trust’s Hospital at Home Service provides urgent medical care to people over the age of 65 in their own homes, nursing homes or residential care settings.

The service is currently available in the East Antrim area.

The service helps people get the care they need without having to go into hospital whenever possible. It provides same-day assessment and treatment from a team of health and social care professionals, with access to tests and laboratory services.

The service is available for people whose condition can be safely managed at home with support from the team. This may include people recovering from a fall, infection, dehydration or heart failure. These are just some examples, and discussion with the team is recommended.

The Hospital at Home Service supports patients by:

• Providing care at home – Receiving care in familiar surroundings can help people feel more comfortable, reduce stress and support recovery.
• Supporting a safer recovery – Being treated at home, when appropriate, can reduce the risk of hospital-related complications such as infections, loss of mobility and confusion.
• Assessment by a team of healthcare professionals – Patients may be supported by a team that includes doctors, nurses, pharmacists and physiotherapists.
• Working with other specialist services – The team works closely with social workers, occupational therapists, dietitians, and speech and language therapists to provide the right support when needed.
• Involving patients and carers in decisions – We work with patients and their carers to make sure they are involved in decisions about their care and treatment.

Where to find us

The Hospital at Home team is based at Whiteabbey Hospital, but care is provided in patients’ own homes across the service area.

How to access the service 

You cannot refer yourself to the Hospital at Home Service.

Referrals can be made by healthcare professionals, including GPs, district nurses, emergency departments and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.

Referrals to the service can be made Monday to Friday, from 9:00am to 3:00pm, excluding bank holidays.