BACKGROUND: 'Hospital At Home' schemes are set to increase in the United Kingdom (UK) in response to the NHS Plan. To date, little detailed work has been done on the acceptability of these schemes to patients and their carers. AIM: To compare Hospital at Home patient and carer satisfaction with hospital care. DESIGN OF STUDY: Pragmatic randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Consecutive patients assessed as suitablefor the Leicester Hospital at Home scheme were randomised to Hospital at Home or one of three acute hospitals in the city.
