Virtual ward becomes first in the Midlands to help more than 1,000 patients to be treated at home

Virtual wards allow patients to get the care they need at home safely and conveniently, rather than being in hospital.

They enable more people to receive the acute care, remote monitoring and treatment they need in their own home and can help prevent admissions or allow for an earlier, supported discharge.

The ward run by The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust was opened in September 2021 as a response to Covid-19 patients whose lungs were affected.

Patients that are deemed able to recover better in their own home can take home specialist equipment – a pulse oximeter – whilst still under the care of the hospital.

This allows them to continue to be regularly monitored by NHS staff remotely.

The equipment sends frequent readings to clinicians and will alert them should the reading suggest the patient requires help.

Patients recovering at home report being in a familiar and comfortable environment helps them rest and sleep better without interruptions from staff, patients or beeping and noisy equipment often found on a hospital ward.

Virtual wards have benefited patients to the extent that more are being created across the Midlands for treating cancer patients, caring for heart failure patients, outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy patients and many more.

The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust was an early adopter of the virtual ward programme and plans to expand its current virtual ward programme to include another two wards – complex nutrition and cardiology. This expansion will allow more patients to be seen on ward, by freeing up hospital beds.

Jess Sokolov, medical director for NHS England in the Midlands, said: “The Dudley Group has done an amazing job establishing and utilising the virtual ward concept to care for its patients in an innovative and different way than we’re traditionally used to.

“The 1,000 patients milestone is a brilliant achievement, but I know that they will be able to treat even more patients over this year with the planned expansion into different areas of care.”

Kerry Silver, lead nurse for the Dudley respiratory assessment service, added: “We have been working really hard to get the correct care for our patients and believe that the 1,000 patient milestone is a symbol of that.

“Our virtual wards are a great way to get people the care they need, and they are sent home with all the equipment and information they need to help us monitor their conditions live at the hospital.

“They have allowed us to treat more patients by freeing up beds on the ward.”