Are intermediate care services stretched too thin?

Insights from linked data in England, Scotland and Wales

Intermediate care refers to short-term care intended to maximise people’s independence. It aims to improve quality of life and reduce pressure on acute hospitals by preventing admissions (step-up care) and facilitating timely discharge from hospital (step-down care). But national public data on intermediate care are limited and fragmented. 

This briefing presents analysis from the Networked Data Lab (NDL). Led by the Health Foundation, the NDL is a network of five analytical teams across England, Scotland and Wales. These teams accessed, linked and analysed local data sources to explore access to and journeys through intermediate care services. We also include a national analysis of step-down intermediate care in England.