HEART failure patients will receive treatment in their own homes in an innovative new scheme.

Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust's community intravenous therapy service has set up a new scheme in Warrington, whereby patients will receive specialist treatment in their own homes.

It is hoped that the new service will help to prevent hospital admissions.

Dr Ahmed Farag, consultant cardiologist at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, approached Bridgewater with the idea earlier this year.

He said: "Decompensated heart failure is one of the common reasons for prolonged hospital admissions.

"My idea was to explore whether, in suitable selected patients, we could avoid hospital admission altogether by safely providing intravenous diuretic injections at home.

"We know that every day a patient spends in hospital results in a significant loss of muscle mass, mobility and independence.

"By treating the patient at home, we are not only preventing a hospital admission but also preserving the patient's functional states and existing support for as long as needed."

The community IV therapy service already administers antibiotics and provides support to chemotherapy patients in their own homes, or at the Bath Street Health and Wellbeing Centre.

But the new scheme has seen their support extended to patients with heart failure.

Community IV lead nurse Rebecca Redfern said: "By keeping patients out of hospital and in their own homes, they are more comfortable and rested and they also have a reduced risk of contracting an infection.

"The trial has been really successful, and we are currently looking to identify other suitable patients with heart failure as test cases for the innovative trial.

"If successful, we have the potential to treat more patients in their own homes where they are most comfortable and reduce pressure on our hospitals."

Josephine Creaghan, from Culcheth, was the first patient to receive treatment under the trial.

The 75-year-old has mitral stenosis, causing swelling of the lower legs, and was visited twice a day on two days - after which her blood pressure and swelling reduced 'significantly'.

She said: "The service has been marvellous.

"The nurses and Dr Farag were lovely and explained everything to me.

"I didn't want to go into hospital, so it was nice to be able to stay out of hospital and be treated.

"It really helped my recovery being at home."