Government's £5bn pledge to 'transform' NHS by treating more patients at home

A new £5.3 billion "joined up care" plan designed to slash the number of unnecessary hospital admissions in England has been announced by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Mr Hunt said he expected "big changes" in the NHS over the next five years through a transformation in the care people receive in their own homes.

"We can't go on shipping people to hospital," he said. "We've got to get much better at looking after people in their homes."

The Government announced its 'Better Care' scheme last year with an annual funding of £3.8 billion. It hopes that the boosting that by £1.5 billion will save the NHS £532 million.

What's expected from the Government's Better Care Fund scheme:

• 18,000 social workers, therapists and health professionals will provide help for patients in or near home

• 101,000 fewer "delayed hospital discharges" expected

• 163,000 fewer stays in accident and emergency

• 2,000 elderly people helped to stay at home rather than going into care

• Seven-day-a-week care services to deal with the issue of people being forced to wait until Monday to leave hospital.

Shadow minister for care and older people Liz Kendall described the scheme as "depressingly unambitious".

"It only brings together around four percent of the total we spend on the NHS and social care ... With our care services in crisis, we need far bigger and bolder plans for reform."