Prevention saves more than money: Why early intervention matters

I have recently read a LinkedIn article about how much each human intervention costs the NHS and it reminded me of the importance of what TarkaX Safeharbour does.

Here are the average costs of some common healthcare interventions:

• GP Appointment – £48

• Consultant Outpatient Appointment – £203

• A&E Attendance – £280

• Ambulance Attendance and Transport to Hospital – £489

• Short Emergency Admission – £824

• Day-Case Admission – £1,077

• Critical Care – £1,997 per average unit of activity

• Average Elective Inpatient Admission – £6,620

Whilst these services are essential, they often represent a point at which an individual's needs have escalated significantly. The real opportunity lies in preventing people from reaching crisis point in the first place. This is where TarkaX Safeharbour makes a significant difference.

By supporting individuals earlier, identifying risks sooner, helping people access the right support at the right time and being there for them when they need it, preventative services can reduce the likelihood of avoidable admissions, emergency interventions and escalating health and social care needs.

For vulnerable adults, older people, those living with long term conditions and individuals at risk of social isolation, the benefits of proactive support can be transformative:

• Earlier identification of emerging concerns

• Improved engagement with health and support services

• Better management of long-term conditions

• Reduced risk of crisis situations

• Increased independence and wellbeing

• Reduced demand on frontline NHS and social care service

The economic argument is clear. Preventing just a handful of hospital admissions or emergency interventions can generate substantial savings but more importantly it helps people maintain their quality of life, dignity and independence.

As health and social care systems continue to face increasing demand, the conversation should not focus solely on how we respond to crisis but how effectively we prevent it. Investing in prevention is not an additional cost. It is one of the most effective ways to reduce future demand, improve outcomes and create a more sustainable system for everyone.

By way of example, Mr X is elderly, he lives alone and advises he is lonely. Before Tarka were involved he refused assistance from Social Services to provide care. He was a repeat visitor to A&E with emergencies. He was a regular visitor to his GP with emergencies. TarkaX started to mentor his family in relation to his care needs. Mr X was adamant that something was wrong. He did not know what but he was not right. No-one was listening to him. Whilst he was having pre-op assessments for another issue we just asked the medical team if they could conduct an ECG to make sure nothing was wrong. They did and discovered he had a blocked artery in his heart. We helped our client express his concerns to professionals in a way they understood. Rather than discharge for a later procedure our client was treated there and then.

Now we wait for the original planned surgery to take place. In the meantime our client's mental health and anxiety has increased. He frequently calls the paramedics for urgent support. We have been working with him to reduce his anxiety, the paramedic calls and transport to A&E. We have him on the housing list to move to a more appropriate property which actually meets his needs. We have reviewed his benefits so he is now claiming what he is entitled to and not losing out. We are also assisting with care needs and OT assessments to ensure he has the right care and equipment at home. For every 999 phone call we stop we potentially save the NHS £1593. For every unnecessary GP appointment we save the NHS £48.

We provide this support for £149 per month. If we save one 999 call and short term admission we have already paid for a 12 month support plan for our client.

Isn't it a no-brainer?

If you need help with a parent or family member, please give us a call to see how we could help you.