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Virtual ward is making a real difference across West Suffolk
On 28 November 2022, West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSFT) launched its virtual ward; a new way to help patients who need care and monitoring to avoid coming into hospital or return home sooner.
Patients that are suitable are referred to the virtual ward with a care plan in place that uses technology to monitor their health at home.
Once referred, a patients’ vital signs are recorded and monitored in real-time at West Suffolk Hospital’s virtual ward hub through the technology provided to them. The innovative, wearable monitoring device measures their vital signs, such as blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen levels. They receive care through home visits and remote monitoring.
Speaking of their experience on the Trust’s virtual ward over Christmas last year, Carol Gleeson said: “It was nice to be home the day before Christmas eve, I thought I was going to be in there [hospital] over Christmas but I wasn’t, and I got to have lunch at my son's with everybody.” Her husband Sid continued: “We also got the support of the [virtual ward] system as well, the nurse was here Christmas morning, at our son's in the afternoon and then twice-a-day for a good three weeks.”
Using technology in this way allows WSFT doctors, nurses, and therapy teams to keep a watchful eye on patients remotely. Patients are given a tablet, which enables them to message or video call the virtual ward team at the hub should they have any issues, which doesn’t require a pre-established internet connection in the home.
The Trust’s virtual ward started with the capacity to care for up to 15 patients. Since then, this has risen to 30, making it larger than many of the West Suffolk Hospital’s inpatient wards.
Dr Vivian Yiu, clinical lead for the WSFT virtual ward, said: “Over the last six months, our data tells us that this model of care provision brings a range of benefits to our patients, both for their recovery and in their quality of life during this time. We are glad that the virtual ward has allowed us to provide better care in our communities and has been recognised as a key tool in helping us ensure we can get patients home earlier and care for all those who need us by freeing up precious hospital beds.
Vivian continued: “If you or someone close to you think being cared for via the virtual ward would be of benefit, please ask your care team for more information.”
There are numerous benefits for patients from the Trust’s virtual ward. By leaving hospital sooner or avoiding it altogether, patients reduce their chance of deteriorating as a result of lengthy periods in bed or contracting Covid-19, flu or other illnesses and infections. Additionally, in many cases patients prefer to, and benefit from, being at home with their loved ones instead of in hospital, which can be difficult for both them and their families.
Having operated successfully for more than six months, the virtual ward team are continuing their work to further expand the types and number of patients they can care for at any one time. The virtual ward began by accepting patients under five specific health criteria: frailty, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute kidney injury, heart failure and those receiving intravenous antibiotics. This has now been increased to 10, with cancer, oxygen support weaning, liver conditions, general medicine and those who have recently received surgery having been added. The team aims to increase its capacity to 40 in the coming weeks.
Since it started the Trust’s virtual ward has cared for 218 patients across all pathways, which has saved approximately 2,000 bed nights in WSFT hospitals. This means other patients can be admitted to the West Suffolk Hospital more quickly, which is more important than ever as demand for hospital services continue to increase.
Going forward, the Trust’s virtual ward team aims to increase the number of patients it can care for at any one time to 100 by March 2024. In real terms, this will increase the number of bed spaces it has available across its hospitals by approximately 20%, making this a significant way in how patients are cared for now, and in the future.
Watch and share our short film to learn more about West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust’s virtual ward here.
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