Record NHS funding to give patients a better alternative to hospital

More NHS patients will be cared for at home and in their community to avoid them going into or staying in hospital unnecessarily, Theresa May announced today.

Ahead of a visit to a north London health centre she pledged to cut needless hospital admissions and help inpatients return home sooner – through community-based rapid response teams and dedicated support for care home residents.

The 24/7 rapid response teams are made up of doctors, nurses and physiotherapists and will provide urgent care and support in the community as an alternative to hospital. This includes emergency treatment as well as support to help patients recover closer to home, which will help people stay healthy and independent for longer.

The Prime Minister set out a major new investment in primary and community healthcare – worth £3.5 billion a year in real terms by 2023/4 – which builds on the existing NHS budget for these services.

This represents a historic commitment to ensure a growing share of overall NHS spending for primary medical and community healthcare.

Today’s announcement forms a key part of the Long Term Plan for the NHS – which is the biggest ever cash boost for the health service. We can make this commitment, which was fully funded at the Budget, because of our strong public finances –and the fact we will no longer be sending an annual membership subscription to the EU.