Digital care model may save NHS £14m a year per ICB, says report

An integrated model of care delivery is transforming health management in care homes and could save the NHS £14 million per integrated care board (ICB) annually, according to a report published in March 2025.

Led by Kent County Council, the model provides the care sector with tools and skills to enable early detection of deterioration and management of health risks, such as infections, chronic cardiac and respiratory issues, reducing unnecessary hospital admissions.

The approach could save £14.2m for local health systems if scaled across all care homes in the Kent and Medway ICB alone, with national adoption exceeding £360m.

The report, co-authored by Care City, a Barking-based centre for health ageing and regeneration, and healthcare consultancy Candesic, in collaboration with Kent County Council and Feebris, proposes a blueprint for integrating data and technology to improve care delivery in the community.

The model is built around three key pillars: proactive health in care homes, integrated multi-disciplinary collaboration, and hospital-level care in care homes.

Matt Skinner, chief executive at Care City, said: “This report is proof that social care can and must play a bigger role in the future of our health system.

“By empowering care staff with the right tools, training and trust, we can improve outcomes, reduce emergency demand and deliver more joined-up, preventative care.

“It’s been a privilege to support this work and co-author a blueprint for transformation that we hope will inspire action across the country.”

The report, which can be downloaded here, shows that using integrated digital tools to proactively manage health in care homes can reduce hospital admissions, easing pressure on the NHS and improving care for vulnerable residents.

An evaluation of a 12-month pilot running in Kent and Medway is included in the report. The Feebris virtual care platform was deployed across 24 care homes to deliver early risk assessment and proactive monitoring for 1,000 residents.

Key findings of the pilot show that 75% of care homes implemented early health detection workflows, and hospital admissions dropped by 20%, saving £530,000 for every 1,000 residents.

For care home residents, this means receiving personalised care that allows them to remain healthier for longer in a familiar environment.

The report also highlights the need for structural changes in financial incentives and workforce development to support widespread adoption. This approach could reshape community-based care and strengthen the NHS’s sustainability.

Dr Elina Naydenova, chief executive and co-founder of Feebris, said: “It’s long been clear that transformational change is required to meet the growing challenges faced by the system, and as this report highlights, our partners at Kent County Council are leading the way with their approach.

“Given the tremendous financial pressures on health and care globally, now is the time for a grassroots movement of forward-thinking organisations to come together and evolve the care model to meet these challenges head-on.”

In November 2024, Feebris launched a heart failure service in Northern Ireland, which enables patients with complex conditions to access remote care from home.