Airedale Hospital’s pioneering tele-medicine service is being extended to help care-home residents across Calderdale and Huddersfield.

Eighteen homes will be linked to the system on a trial basis in a bid to reduce hospital admissions and people using A&E.

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust has funded the installation. The tele-health hub, run by Airedale NHS Foundation Trust’s specialist nurses, offers round-the-clock medical help via a secure video link.

Airedale Hospital is working with its technical partner Involve to take the service to about 200 nursing and residential homes this winter.

John Rayner, of the Calderdale and Huddersfield trust, said: “The tele-medicine service provides care-home staff and patients with immediate access to expert clinical advice that in many cases means a trip to hospital can be avoided.

“Airedale was the obvious and ideal partner for us because of the trust’s experience in delivering a service that has demonstrated success.”