THOUSANDS of people across Cheshire and Merseyside – including Warrington -are avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions, thanks to the region’s urgent community response (UCR) services.
Since April 2024, more than 64,000 people have been referred to UCR teams, which provide rapid health and social care in people’s homes.
The service, which is designed to support older adults and those with complex needs, has seen referrals increase by 60 per cent since 2022.
UCR teams deliver holistic, wraparound care for people, working closely with ambulance services, GP practices, mental health and other hospital and community services, as well as social care and voluntary sector organisations. They include a mix of professionals such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nurses, prescribers, and advanced care practitioners.
The teams respond to urgent referrals within two hours, providing a clinical assessment and treatment plan – all in the person’s own home.
Where needed, patients can also be admitted to a virtual ward to receive Consultant-level care without needing to go to hospital.
Cheshire and Merseyside’s UCR teams are consistently exceeding national targets, with a higher proportion of patients being seen within the two-hour window and more successful referrals compared to the national average.
As of December 2025, all UCR teams now have direct, digital access to North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) referrals, enabling them to directly triage ‘urgent and ‘less urgent’ category three and four 999 calls. This has resulted in a 5% reduction in the number of patients taken by ambulance to Emergency Departments, equating to 27 fewer ambulance arrivals per day.
Dr Fiona Lemmens, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside’s executive clinical director, said: “This is a fantastic example of partners working closely together to keep people out of hospital and supported in the community – often in their own homes. We know many patients recover better at home than in a hospital bed, where reduced activity can ultimately lead to increased frailty.”
Jon Price, consultant paramedic for Cheshire and Merseyside at North West Ambulance Service, said: “The UCR service plays a key role in reducing pressure on our emergency services and preventing unnecessary hospital admissions.
“Not all incidents require an ambulance response, in providing an alternative to A&E, NWAS crews are able to attend to and prioritise treatment for people with the most critical and life-threatening needs.”
