Ollie Doran, an 11-year-old goalkeeper from Coatbridge living with bilateral bronchiectasis and ADHD, has shared how NHS Lanarkshire's Hospital at Home service has transformed his life. He met Scottish Minister for Community Care Alison Thewliss to tell his story.
From hospital wards to home care
Several times a year, Ollie requires intensive courses of intravenous antibiotics for serious chest infections. Previously, this meant up to two weeks in hospital, disrupting his routines and childhood. His mother, Karen, said: "Hospital admissions affected every part of family life. They meant time away from home, extra travelling and trying to juggle everything around Ollie's treatment. But for Ollie himself, the biggest thing was losing that sense of normality. Routine is really important to him. Football is his happy place. His teammates are his friends and those social connections are a huge part of his confidence and development. Every time he had to go into hospital, all of that stopped."
Everything changed when Ollie became one of the first children to benefit from the Paediatric Hospital at Home service. Specialist children's nurses brought his hospital treatment to him, allowing him to sleep in his own bed and stay connected to his routines.
Christmas at home and football triumphs
When treatment was needed over Christmas and New Year, Ollie could wake up at home on Christmas morning. Karen said: "That was priceless. His clinical care was exactly the same, but emotionally it made such a difference. He was surrounded by the people who make him feel safe."
Football remained crucial. Ollie trains three evenings weekly and plays matches at weekends. Recently, his team, Coatbridge City FC, won five of five matches at a Loch Lomond tournament, with Ollie keeping two clean sheets. Karen said: "He's football mad. If there's a ball nearby, he'll be practising. Goalkeeping has given him so much. It keeps him active, gives him confidence and has helped him build friendships that are incredibly important to him."
Service evolution and political backing
Fifteen years ago, Hospital at Home in Lanarkshire was a pioneering service for frail older people. It has since evolved into an integrated programme delivering hospital-level care across all ages. Minister Alison Thewliss visited University Hospital Wishaw and met Ollie. She said: "I would like to thank all of the staff from this wide range of specialties who are working together to deliver Hospital at Home. NHS Lanarkshire has pioneered this work and I am delighted that University Hospital Wishaw is continuing to lead on this important initiative. Across Scotland more than 7500 patients were accepted into services between February and April this year. We have invested an additional £100 million to build on the progress made and help build the largest 'hospital' in the country. Meeting Ollie and hearing his story brought home exactly why this matters. Advances in Lanarkshire demonstrate how collaboration, innovation and technology are reshaping the future of health and care across Scotland."
Claire Ritchie, service director of interface at NHS Lanarkshire, said: "Fifteen years ago, Hospital at Home challenged the traditional assumption that people experiencing acute illness always needed to come into hospital. That original idea has grown into something much bigger. What started as pioneering care for older people living with frailty has evolved into an integrated programme delivering hospital-level care across people's lives - from childhood to later life - and bringing together specialist teams from across NHS Lanarkshire. The real innovation is no longer any one service in isolation. It is how our teams work together, share expertise and use technology to deliver hospital-level care wherever patients will benefit most."
NHS Lanarkshire board chair Katharina Kasper said: "The visit demonstrated just how far Hospital at Home has come, but it also highlighted the opportunities ahead. By continuing to strengthen collaboration across specialties and embracing new models of care, we can reach more people, deliver more care closer to home and continue redefining how hospital care can be delivered across Lanarkshire."
