Scotland's introduction of virtual hospital beds signals the onset of a technological revolution in healthcare.
Scotland's Hospital at Home Initiative Expands with Tech-Led Revolution
Scotland's healthcare system is set for a significant transformation, as the Hospital at Home initiative, a virtual hospital care service, undergoes a substantial expansion. The initiative, which aims to improve patient care and reduce pressure on the healthcare system, is receiving a £85 million investment from the Scottish Government.
The Hospital at Home service, also known as the Hospital at Home initiative for older people, allows frail older adults with acute illnesses such as respiratory and cardiac conditions, infections, or recovery after falls, to receive hospital-level care at home. This approach has proven successful, having saved the NHS over £50 million in 2024-25 and prevented about 15,470 hospital admissions during that period.
The expansion of the initiative will increase the effective capacity of every hospital in Scotland without the need for new bricks and mortar. The virtual ward beds will be integrated with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's flow navigation center, a multi-disciplinary hub for remote patient assessment and treatment. This partnership will be facilitated by digital health company Doccla, which provides real-time remote monitoring technology.
InnoScot Health, a long-standing partner of NHS Scotland, believes this initiative is crucial for increasing healthcare capacity across the country. Graham Watson, Executive Chair of InnoScot Health, stated that the initiative aims to improve care, free up hospital capacity, and reduce pressure on the healthcare system. He also emphasized the importance of involving patients in care decisions and enabling clinicians to take informed actions quickly.
The partnership between NHS Scotland and InnoScot Health has been ongoing for 23 years, supporting innovation as part of a strategic drive to improve patient care. The expansion of the Hospital at Home initiative is part of this broader strategic drive, with a phased approach to implementation expected to commence this summer as part of a three-year strategic program.
First Minister John Swinney has pledged to expand the Hospital at Home initiative by at least 2,000 beds before the end of 2026. This expansion will be shaped around individual needs, representing a tech-led revolution in how healthcare is delivered in Scotland. The partnership between NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Doccla will create a new benchmark for virtual hospital care in Scotland.
As the Hospital at Home initiative expands, it is expected to lead to further insights and more breakthroughs from an inspired NHS Scotland workforce. The partnership between NHS Scotland and InnoScot Health, as well as the collaboration between NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Doccla, are key components of this transformation, paving the way for a more efficient and effective healthcare system in Scotland.
[1] Source: Various government and health reports up to August 2025.
- The Hospital at Home initiative, with its tech-led expansion, bridges science and digital health, aiming to enhance patient care for individuals afflicted by a variety of medical-conditions, including respiratory and cardiac disorders, infections, and fall recovery.
- As part of the strategic drive for health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise improvements, the expansion of the Hospital at Home initiative, enabled by partners like InnoScot Health and digital health company Doccla, leverages technology to reduce hospital admissions, free up capacity, and lower pressure on the healthcare system.
- The collaboration between NHS Scotland, InnoScot Health, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and Doccla is transforming the healthcare landscape in Scotland, marking a notable benchmark in providing virtual hospital care and offering a promise for a more efficient and effective health-and-wellness future.
