How My SOS Family Helps the NHS Reduce Frailty Admissions and Speed Up Hospital Discharges
- Alisha Jade
- Apr 7
- 4 min read
A simple, scalable solution that keeps older people safe at home and eases NHS pressure.
Frailty-related admissions are a major challenge. Many older people end up in A&E not because of emergencies—but because help didn’t reach them in time.
Minor issues become major without support
Anxiety or isolation often trigger 999 calls
Caregivers can’t always be available
The Solution: My SOS Family
My SOS Family is an alert system that instantly notifies a user’s trusted contacts—family, friends, or neighbors—so they can help quickly.
✅ No app required for responders
✅ Works with phones, smartwatches, and buttons
✅ Immediate alerts = early action
How It Helps the NHS :
Prevent avoidable 999 calls
Family intervenes before crisis escalates
Digital safety net post-discharge
Patients feel secure returning home
Enhances virtual wards & frailty pathways
Empowers carers with real-time alerts
Low Cost, High Impact
My SOS Family starts from less than £2 per month per user, with no integration or IT complexity.
Benefit | NHS Impact |
Under £1.67/month | Saves £124,700 per 1,000 frail patients/year |
No clinical time needed | Family handles non-urgent issues |
24/7 alerts | Complements virtual ward safety net |
What Families Say :
“Mum feels more confident knowing she can reach us quickly. It’s simple, and it works.” – Angela
“We avoided calling 999 because my sister was nearby and got there in 10 minutes.” – James
Want to Help Frail Patients Stay Safer at Home?
If you're an ICB commissioner, GP, discharge planner or voluntary sector lead—let’s explore how My SOS Family can support your community goals.
email us at info@mysosfamily.com
As NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) across the country focus on delivering care closer to home, managing frailty more proactively, and reducing unnecessary emergency department attendances, My SOS Family presents a smart, cost-effective, and patient-centred solution.
This simple, scalable digital tool helps keep older people safe, supported, and better connected, reducing their need to call 999 or present to A&E, while also playing a pivotal role in safe and timely hospital discharge.
1. Avoiding Unnecessary 999 Calls and Emergency Admissions
A large proportion of ambulance calls and A&E attendances among older people are triggered not by medical emergencies, but by anxiety, isolation, uncertainty, or minor deterioration. In many cases, early intervention from family, friends, or local support can prevent escalation.
My SOS Family enables just that.
With one touch, older users can instantly alert trusted family, friends, or carers, who are notified by call, SMS, or email.
Alerts are automatic and fast—no app needed for responders.
This empowers informal networks to respond first, rather than reaching immediately for emergency services.
If further help is needed, health advisors (via 111) can be engaged to triage and direct care via DOS, potentially avoiding 999 and ensuring patients are seen in the right place at the right time.
Result: Reduced ambulance dispatches and ED attendances, greater confidence to remain at home.
2. Supporting Safe and Timely Discharges from Hospital
One of the key blockers to hospital flow is the perceived lack of support at home for medically fit patients.
My SOS Family provides immediate reassurance for both clinicians and families during discharge planning.
Patients discharged with My SOS Family can return home with a digital safety net.
If they feel unwell or need help, they can instantly alert their support circle, avoiding isolation-related deterioration or anxiety-driven readmissions.
Family and friends are kept in the loop, increasing their confidence and capacity to support patients.
The tool can also be used by Health Advisors to monitor post-discharge frailty signs, enabling early intervention before reattendance.
Result: Faster discharge decisions, greater continuity of care, and reduced re-admissions.
3. A Low-Cost, High-Impact Innovation
My SOS Family is affordable, scalable, and quick to deploy—with no app required for responders, and minimal training needed for users.
It aligns with ICB ambitions to:
Shift from reactive to proactive care
Leverage digital tools to support self-management
Strengthen community resilience
Reduce NEL admissions and A&E attendance for the frail population
It requires no clinical oversight or 24/7 monitoring infrastructure—family and friends are the first line of response, followed by optional integration with health advisors or voluntary sector teams.
4. Supporting ICB Priorities and ICS Goals
My SOS Family helps ICBs meet key operational and strategic targets, including:
✔ Delivering the 25% reduction in non-elective admissions for the frail elderly
✔ Empowering Integrated Neighbourhood Teams to support discharge and community resilience
✔ Enhancing virtual ward and frailty pathway wraparound care
✔ Improving patient experience and carer engagement
✔ Contributing to financial recovery plans by reducing unplanned care costs
Next Steps for Commissioners
Pilot My SOS Family in a PCN, virtual ward, or discharge unit to evaluate local impact.
Include it in frailty pathways, discharge to assess models, and community connector schemes.
Leverage local VCFSE partners to help roll it out, promote usage, and build digital confidence.
Work with Health Advisors (via 111) to integrate My SOS Family alerts into early triage pathways.
In Summary
My SOS Family is more than just a safety app—it’s a bridge between families, clinicians, and community care it empowers people, supports carers, prevents avoidable escalation, and enables older people to live independently and safely at home.
For NHS ICBs committed to delivering Care Closer to Home, improving discharge flow, and supporting community resilience, My SOS Family offers a practical, proven solution—ready to scale.
