New plans for joined-up elderly care announced

The government has announced details of new plans to reorganise care for elderly and vulnerable patients to provide more treatments closer to home, reducing emergency admissions.

A shared budget of at least 3.8 billion pounds has been allocated to the proposals, which will take effect from April 2015 and will expand access to seven-day services, with named professionals to be in charge of coordinating services around individual needs.

Meanwhile, efforts will be made to improve data sharing to prevent patients from having to provide information over and over again, while joint assessments will be conducted to ensure people's needs can be met all in one go.

Additionally, NHS organisations will be set new targets to bring down the number of unplanned hospital admissions, as part of a wider strategy to ensure chronic health conditions are treated more proactively.

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "We will continue to nurture and support the development of these plans to deliver our shared ambition so that every part of the country provides better care for patients closer to home."

Moves such as this will make it easier for the NHS to cope with the healthcare needs of an ageing population in the coming years.