Nottingham City Council has approved a £343,000 investment in a new Intermediate Care Offer that will help more people remain independent at home, reduce pressures on health and care services and improve support for unpaid carers.
The funding forms part of a wider package of more than £20 million for services and projects across Nottingham, funded through a one-off underspend in the Council’s 2025/26 budget.
The investment will establish a strengthened, whole-system approach to intermediate care across the city, bringing together prevention, recovery and community-based support services to help residents maintain their independence and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.
The enhanced model will support timely discharge from hospital, provide proactive assistance to people at risk of deconditioning and develop services such as Home from Hospital support, community resilience initiatives and personalised respite opportunities for unpaid carers through Shared Lives.
Central to the programme is a Home First approach, recognising that people recover best when supported in their own homes and communities. By bringing together health, social care and community partners, the new model will provide coordinated, short-term support focused on recovery, reablement and preventing avoidable deterioration, helping residents maintain their independence and reducing reliance on hospital and long-term care services.
Councillor Helen Kalsi, Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health at Nottingham City Council, said: “Supporting people to live independently for as long as possible is one of our key priorities, and this investment will make a real difference to residents and their families.
“As part of the Council’s wider programme of more than £20 million of additional investment across Nottingham, this £343,000 funding will strengthen the support available when people need extra help to recover from illness or injury, regaining confidence to remain safely at home.
“This is about creating a more joined-up system that is responsive, preventing problems from escalating, reducing pressure on our hospitals and long-term care services, and delivers better outcomes for residents and carers.”
The new approach will build on existing community strengths and services, creating a more sustainable and integrated system rather than duplicating provision. Residents, carers and health and care partners are expected to benefit from improved outcomes, greater independence and reduced demand on statutory services as the programme develops.