Virtual wards: Story so far and national updates
This panel discussion will explore the benefits, challenges, and future of virtual wards in the NHS. The panellists will share their experiences and insights on virtual ward models and their impact on patient care, healthcare providers, and the NHS as a whole.
Panel Discussion Topics:
- Understanding Virtual Wards: What are virtual wards, and how do they operate within the NHS healthcare system?
- The Benefits of Virtual Wards: What are the potential advantages of using virtual wards in the NHS, and how do they differ from traditional care models?
- Challenges of Implementing Virtual Wards: What are the key challenges of implementing virtual wards in the NHS, and how can these be addressed?
- The Impact on Patient Care: How does the virtual ward model impact patient care, including patient outcomes and experiences?
- The Role of Healthcare Providers: What is the role of healthcare providers in delivering virtual care, and how does this differ from traditional care models?
- The Future of Virtual Wards in the NHS: What does the future hold for virtual wards in the NHS, and how can they be further integrated into the healthcare system to benefit patients and healthcare providers alike?
Facilitator - Stephanie Sommerville, Director, Community Health Services Transformation and Virtual Wards, NHS England
- Dr Gurnak Singh Dosanjh, GP and ICB Clinical Lead for Home First, Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB
- Laura Harper, Directorate Manager Adult Community & Primary Care Services (Operational Lead for Virtual Wards), The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
- Emily Jarvis, Senior Sister, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS trust
- Grant Oliver, Remote Monitoring Programme Manager, Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
- Denisse Gatmaytan, Diabetes Specialist Nurse- virtual lead, Northwick Park Hospital- London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust
Access Health, Support and Care, a leading technology partner, discuss bringing together health and social care environments within an integrated care model to provide a secure, scalable, and robust clinical platform, delivering a transformational virtual ward solution centered around the individual.
Virtual Wards & Remote Monitoring Managing Risks on Waiting Lists and Enabling Early Discharge
Aims of presentation
- To introduce the blended learning programme, including what blended learning is, background and aims of the Health Education England programme.
- To provide overview of the blended learning nursing degree, including the newly commissioned pathway for first destination employment in community, primary and social care.
- To showcase examples of the innovation and digital technologies being used within blended learning programmes.
- To share the early outcomes of the programme, including lessons learnt, student experience and future blended learning programmes.
Abstract
Traditionally, the theoretical elements of nursing degrees have been delivered in a face-to-face manner and complemented with simulation with a 50% practice element through clinical placements. There is now a real need to consider new approaches to educating future nurses in relation to the impact of new and emerging technologies. Ensuring that the future nursing workforce is flexible, adaptable, has a growth mindset that is innovative and enthusiastic about change.
Technology has provided us with different and innovative ways of educating our health workforce with opportunities to widen access and participation. The NHS Long Term plan (2019) outlined the requirement to establish a new online nursing degree with the aim of widening participation and while pre-registration programmes rapidly moved to online delivery in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this does not afford the student the full benefits of the pedagogic experience that blended learning provides. In response, Health Education England has partnered with several universities to create an innovative, accessible pre-registration nursing degree programmes, with the aim of:
- Creating an innovative, accessible high quality healthcare degree programme using innovative means in digital and other technologies i.e. simulation, immersive and extended reality.
- Attracting and retaining greater numbers, and a more diverse student nurse population.
- Creating a significantly different offer in healthcare education that will support the growth of a qualitatively different, expert and professional workforce suited to the demands of services now and in the future.
- Developing strong digitally capable and confident graduates.
The first blended learning adult nursing degrees have now commenced, along with a Midwifery degree and Critical Care Nursing modules. Medical and Anaesthesia Associate degrees, along with a new nursing degree aimed at first destination employment in community, primary and social care are due to commence in 2023. All blended learning programmes will be subject to independent evaluation.
Recommended reading titles
Health Education England (2022) Blended learning for pre-registration and undergraduate healthcare professional education
https://www.hee.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/documents/220405_Blended%20Learning%20Guidance%20Report_FINAL.pdf Hrastinski, S (2019) What Do We Mean by Blended Learning?. TechTrends 63, 564–569. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-019-00375-5 Bowyer, J and Chambers, L. (2017) Evaluating blended learning: Bringing the elements together. Research Matters: A Cambridge Assessment publication. Issue 23 p17-26.
Through a design thinking approach to pathway development, Letterkenny University Hospital partnered with eHealth providers to implement a managed service to remove the technology burden from healthcare professions for the management of a late stage COPD patient cohort in the community. Leveraging a novel approach to Continuous Respiratory Rate monitoring, 100% hospital avoidance was achieved over 12 weeks in Gold D (Gold 4E 2023) COPD patients. The end result, positioned patients successfully as the central partner in the management of their treatment.
Aims of presentation:
- The journey of implementing virtual wards within a community setting
- The different pathways within the virtual wards team, within The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
- The benefits of virtual monitoring
- What the data tells us so far
- What has worked well and not so well…
Abstract
Within Wolverhampton we have 13 clinical pathways that are facilitated by our virtual ward, within our adult community services. We have been operational since December 2021, starting with one pathway (Covid) to help with pressures due to the global pandemic. Since then, we have continuously developed the service, integrating further pathways (including paediatrics) to facilitate a faster discharge, enabling patients to recover in the comfort of their own home. Throughout our presentation we will demonstrate our journey in more detail and explain what opportunities/threats we have received along the way.
This presentation will discuss the virtual ward delivery at ESNEFT for General Surgery, including some case examples and feedback on patient and clinician experience.
Why patient engagement is essential for unlocking effective digital transformation and minimising health inequalities.
Drinks Reception, Networking and End of Day
