Virtual wards
healthcare more accessible, some patients can feel that there is a lack of human interaction during their care. This may result in patients feeling isolated within the home setting which can have a negative effect on patient wellbeing and recovery. Therefore, the human aspect of healthcare should not be overlooked, as this can enable patients and healthcare providers to build trust and empathy - all of which are key to the patient’s healing journey and have been reported to improve patient outcomes.
Embracing change The healthcare system is constantly evolving and adopting new models of care and technologies. Virtual wards are among the latest innovations changing the face of healthcare and this is only expected to increase, along with the demand for NHS services.
As the NHS continues to expand the virtual
wards programme, adopting a self-care and shared-care model and, more notably, MedTech which facilitates this, patients will be able to play an active role in recovery – transforming healthcare altogether. Despite its promise, arguably the biggest
problem of implementing virtual wards on a wider scale is to get clinicians to buy into the idea and change existing frameworks and practices. However, with the current pressure on the NHS, the healthcare system needs to embrace new solutions. While relieving this pressure is no simple task, deploying virtual wards is a huge step in the right direction and, with continued advancements in MedTech and data analytics, virtual wards will play a crucial role in shaping the future of healthcare.
References 1. The Guardian, A hospital in the home, Nov 2007
https://www.theguardian.com/ society/2007/nov/29/1
2. NHS England, Pressure on NHS services remains high, 7 March 2024. https://www.
england.nhs.uk/2024/03/pressure-on-nhs- services-remains-high/#:~:text=The%20 latest%20statistics%20show%20in,the%20 same%20period%20pre%2Dpandemic.
3. Nuffield Trust, Care and support for long term conditions, February 2024. https://
www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/resource/ care-and-support-for-long-term- conditions#:~:text=In%20England%2C%20 more%20than%2015,with%20medication%20 or%20other%20therapies.
4. White, J and Sanderson, Blog, NHS England, January 2018, Making the case for the personalised approach, https://www.england.
38
www.clinicalservicesjournal.com I June 2025
nhs.uk/blog/making-the-case-for-the- personalised-approach/
5. Adult Social Care Activity and Finance Report, England - 2018-19 [PAS], https://digital.nhs. uk/data-and-information/publications/ statistical/adult-social-care-activity-and- finance-report/2018-19/4.-long-term-care#:
6. Ansah JP, Chiu CT. Projecting the chronic disease burden among the adult population in the United States using a multi-state population model. Front Public Health. 2023 Jan 13;10:1082183. doi: 10.3389/ fpubh.2022.1082183. PMID: 36711415; PMCID: PMC9881650.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pmc/articles/PMC9881650/#:~:text=The%20 analysis%20suggests%20that%20 by,46.09%E2%80%9349.71)%20by%20205
CSJ
7. Walton H, et al, Patients’ and carers’ experiences of, and engagement with remote home monitoring services for COVID-19 patients: a rapid mixed-methods study medRxiv 2021.12.17.21267968; doi: https://doi. org/10.1101/2021.12.17.21267968 Now published in Health Expectations doi: 10.1111/hex.13548
https://www.medrxiv.org/ content/10.1101/2021.12.17.21267968v1
8. NHS England, NHS delivers 10,000 virtual ward beds target with hundreds of thousands of patients treated at home, October 2023
https://www.england.nhs.uk/2023/10/nhs- delivers-10000-virtual-ward-beds-target-with- hundreds-of-thousands-of-patients-treated- at-home/
9. NHS England, Virtual Ward,
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/ statistical-work-areas/virtual- ward/#:~:text=Systems%20are%20asked%20 to%20continue,than%2050%2C000%20 admissions%20a%20month.
10. NHS England, What do you know about virtual About the author
Bernard Ross is CEO and founder of Sky Medical Technology (Sky). Sky’s device, the geko – a wristwatch-sized wearable applied to the knee – delivers painless electrical impulses to stimulate blood flow, without the patient having to move. It has been globally adopted into healthcare systems to treat a range of medical conditions including the prevention of venous thromboembolism and the treatment and prevention of oedema (swelling). Bernard is a serial entrepreneur with more
than 20 years’ senior experience at private and public board level across multiple industries including pharmaceutical, technology development and FMCG. Bernard is a former Head of International Development at CMI plc, Senior Vice President, Cardiovascular of Bioaccelerate Inc. (BACL) and former CEO of Innacardio Inc.
wards?
https://www.england.nhs.uk/north- west/recovery-bulletin/recovery-bulletin- issue-03-november-22/what-do-you-know- about-virtual-wards/
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