New Proactive Care Hub Opens at Haslemere Hospital
Royal Surrey NHS Trust launches integrated health service to support independent living and prevent condition deterioration.
By Natalie Osborne
••3 min read
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Generic image of a hospital building exterior with clear signage, set against a green countryside backdrop.
A new Proactive Care Hub (PACH) has opened at Haslemere Hospital, aiming to support independent living and prevent the worsening of existing health conditions.
The Haslemere Proactive Care Hub (PACH), established within former inpatient ward space at Haslemere Hospital, part of the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, consolidates various healthcare professionals. This initiative offers individuals with long-term conditions a comprehensive health assessment during a single visit.
Working in collaboration with local GPs, the Royal Surrey team identifies suitable patients for the service, inviting them for reviews and subsequent follow-up appointments. The primary goal is to detect minor health changes early, thereby preventing more serious deterioration that might otherwise go unnoticed until a later, more challenging stage to treat.
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"What's different about this service is that it's a proactive approach to treating patients, drawing on a range of expertise to provide holistic care. It bolsters the service provided by GPs and will help us identify and address signs of declining health at an earlier stage, when interventions are typically more successful. As well as leading to better health outcomes for patients, this also takes pressure off GPs and hospitals."
Initially concentrating on heart failure, the hub operates on Thursdays. Appointments, lasting two to three hours, allow patients to consult with a cardiologist for heart health assessment, a therapist for strength and fall risk evaluation, and a GP-led primary care team for medication reviews and general health checks. A personalised care plan is developed collaboratively.
Future developments aim to incorporate a social prescriber to address patients’ broader health and wellbeing needs by connecting them with community support. The hub plans rapid expansion to cater to a wider array of long-term conditions, with potential inclusions like respiratory conditions, diabetes, and neurodegenerative conditions, possibly extending to other days early in 2027.
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"One of the brilliant things about this service is its flexibility. In our local communities, there are lots of people living with long-term heart failure, which is why we've started with this condition first. Over the next few months, we'll continue working with local healthcare providers to establish other priority conditions, so it truly is a service that responds to our unique, local needs."
The Haslemere model is intended for replication across the group, including Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals, and in other communities within West Surrey. This initiative aligns with the government's Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England, promoting early intervention, preventative care, and empowering individuals in managing their health closer to home.
