NHS board hopes £1.3m investment will keep thousands out of A&E
An NHS board has approved a £1.3 million boost to a service aiming to keep thousands in Suffolk and Norfolk out of hospital.
Last updated 29th Sep 2026
The Norfolk and Suffolk ICB hopes a £1.3m investment will keep thousands out of A&E.
The investment was approved at a meeting of the newly-established Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board (ICB) last week as a way to reduce pressure on NHS services.
It will expand the Unscheduled Care Co-ordination Hub (UCCH) service, which allows residents who call 999 and 101 with non-life-threatening issues to be cared for at home.
Richard Watson, the ICB’s executive director of strategy, digital and commissioning, told the board the £1.38 million yearly cash boost would keep patients away from A&E’s front door.
It is hoped the money will avoid around 2,000 ambulance trips and 1,200 emergency department visits each year across Suffolk, Norfolk and parts of North East Essex.
Mr Watson said the board would continue to look at ways to reduce the pressures on ambulances, emergency departments, and urgent care services.
“We’re not stopping here,” he said, “this is not job done.”
The money will be spent on not only enabling the hubs to expand capacity, but also operating through the night every day of the week.