NHS leaders could save the healthcare system £1 billion a year by autumn 2026, if they were to adopt a new AI-led model of home healthcare from Cera, according to a study from Faculty.
The study, published in Sage Journals in December 2022, analysed data from the use of the Cera Digital Care Plan platform – which uses AI technology to keep elderly people in their own homes and out of hospital or residential care. The platform is already being used in 150 local authorities and 29 NHS integrated care boards.
According to Faculty’s study, the Digital Care Plan platform reduced hospitalisations in over 65s by at least 52%, and up to 70%.
Cera says that its analysis, which was validated by Faculty, is preventing at least 233 emergency admissions each month by predicting falls, tracking symptoms and mobilising nurses and carers to respond to high-risk alerts and treat common conditions.
It adds that reducing hospitalisations means more beds are freed up, waiting lists are shorter and admissions to residential care homes are also reduced.
The NHS is already saving £1 million per day as a result of the platform, and Faculty calculates that this will rise to £2m per day by summer 2025, and more than £3 million per day by autumn 2026 – the equivalent saving of £1 billion in annualised savings – as the platform’s use is expanded.
Ben Maruthappu, founder and CEO of Cera, said: “I launched Cera in 2016 with an ambition to revolutionise healthcare, using technology to transform services and patient outcomes, while alleviating NHS and government pressures.
“This report confirms the substantial impact we are making, with Cera already saving the NHS and government £1 million a day, increasing to £1 billion a year in 2026. This only reinforces the important role technology has in transforming our health and care system, at a time when the need to change couldn’t be greater.”
Over the most recent winter period, Cera delivered 7.5 million home care visits, through it’s AI-powered care model and AI-led care scheduling platform, saving the NHS an estimated £100 million
Eliminating unnecessary hospitalisations through the Cera home healthcare model is saving the NHS more than 1,210 hospital bed days every month, according to Faculty, with each bed costing £460 a day on average.
Hugh Neylan, head of health at Faculty, said: “As our population ages and pressure on in-patient services increases, taking care out of hospitals and residential settings and into patients’ homes is fundamental to the future of our health and social care system. It’s exciting to see cost savings already being delivered by AI, and this will only grow as their adoption increases.”
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