Virtual Wards provide residents with the level of safe and effective care that they need – predominantly from the comfort of their usual place of residence, rather than the hospital. This enables people to be discharged home more quickly after a hospital stay.
Care and support for the Virtual Ward is provided through a hybrid model of technology and face-to-face care. The cutting-edge technology uses state-of-the-art equipment, such as video consultations and remote monitoring, to provide personalised support to residents – allowing them to live independently for as long as possible and remain out of hospital. By only admitting the people who need hospital care, trusts can reduce the demand for physical hospital beds and use their resources more effectively.
Case study: Beryl’s story
Beryl, from Milton Keynes, has seen the benefits of Virtual Wards first-hand when her husband’s kidney function needed close monitoring. Read the full case study.
Video: NHS England
Thanks to a national expansion of virtual wards, thousands more people will be able to receive hospital-level care at home. The NHS is on track to have 10,000 virtual ward beds by September 2023. Watch this video from NHS England to find out more:
Hospital at Home project
Around 150 people in Milton Keynes have been kept out of hospital in 2023, thanks to the introduction of an innovative new Virtual Ward (Hospital at Home) project which allows them to live in their own home whilst their condition is monitored and treated.
As it continues through the winter months, this new scheme will help the NHS to keep beds free for those who most need inpatient care. Read the full story.