Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust has been at the forefront of integrating virtual care technology to support patients remotely, especially those in vulnerable groups such as nursing home residents, older adults and those with complex medical conditions. Its successful Virtual Wards (VW) initiative, using the Docobo Remote Monitoring platform from Graphnet, is a collaboration with the Walsall Together partnership.
Background and introduction
Virtual Wards in Walsall were introduced as part of the wider ‘Walsall Together’ initiative, which aims to integrate health and social care services for the benefit of the community. Initially launched in June 2022 with the Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) virtual ward, the programme has since expanded to five pathways: Hospital at Home (H@H), Palliative Fast Track, Frailty, and Discharge to Assess (D2A). The virtual wards provide remote, continuous monitoring of patients who might otherwise require hospital admission. Since its launch, the team at Walsall has seen a reduction in readmission rates from nursing homes, which previously had high occupancy and frequent patient transfers to the hospital.
Virtual Wards in Action
Walsall's Virtual Wards programme is built on the integration of technology and clinical collaboration. The wards allow patients to receive hospital-level care in their own homes, reducing unnecessary hospital stays and admissions. The service focuses on vulnerable patients, including those with acute respiratory infections, frailty, and those in need of palliative care.
