Hospital in the Home (HITH)

Hospital in the Home, or HITH, offers people the option of hospital care at home.

This means some people can go home from hospital sooner. Some people may not need to stay in hospital at all.

What care may look like

Care is based on what each person needs. It may include:

• video or phone check-ups
• a nurse or doctor coming to your home
• visits to a clinic
• a mix of these options.

Your care team will talk with you about what is best for your condition. Care can change if your needs change.

Who is HITH for?

HITH is for people who need daily, hospital-level care. A care team will assess you to make sure you are well enough to stay at home safely.

HITH can be for people who:

• need medicine through a drip each day
• need a doctor or nurse to check them each day
• need checks of their heart rate or blood pressure
• need care short-term after surgery, such as wound checks.

This care helps people get well while staying in their own home.

Benefits of HITH

HITH gives the same care as in hospital. It can also help people:

• stay in their own home
• keep their normal day-to-day life
• eat their own food and sleep in their own bed
• see family and friends more easily.

How to access HITH

HITH is available across NSW. Local health districts run these services.

Ask your doctor if this care may suit you.

Ask your doctor

If you are in hospital, ask your doctor if your care can happen at home.

Some people may be able to get all or part of their care at home.

What patients have said

Mental Health Hospital in the Home

Mental Health HITH gives mental health care at home or in a place that feels safe. This means some people can get care without staying in hospital.

A 4-bed pilot is now running in Kempsey in the Mid North Coast Local Health District. The pilot will help NSW Health learn how this type of care can help people during times of serious mental ill health.

It will also show how this care can work with other mental health care.

How Mental Health HITH works

Mental Health HITH gives the same care as a hospital.

Care is given by a team that may include:

• psychiatrists
• mental health nurses
• peer workers
• occupational therapists
• social workers.

Care may include:

• video or phone check-ups
• home visits
• clinic visits
• a mix of these options.

This type of care is already used in other parts of Australia and in other countries.

Benefits of Mental Health HITH

In other states, this type of care can:

• reduce time spent in hospital
• help some people avoid a stay in hospital
• give people a good care experience
• help carers work with care teams.

People who receive this care may be able to:

• stay in the comfort of their own home
• keep their normal daily life
• eat their own food and sleep in their own bed
• keep work or study if this is part of their care plan
• see family and friends when they choose.

Who can access the pilot?

The pilot is in Kempsey in the Mid North Coast Local Health District. The pilot started in February 2026.

It is for people in the Kempsey area who:

• need urgent mental health care
• agree to care from the team
• can safely receive care at home or in the community.

A mental health clinician can refer people to the team. The team will check if this care is right for them.

To learn more, visit Mid North Coast Local Health District

For broader mental health information, visit Mental health.