Nottingham CityCare Community Virtual Ward

Supporting patients to recover in the place they call home

More patients are being treated in their own homes thanks to experts in Nottingham CityCare Partnership’s Virtual Ward Team.

Within the last six months, 74 patients have been supported by the team working with local health and care system colleagues to receive treatment in the comfort of their own homes, reducing the need for admissions to hospital. Numbers are expected to grow as we develop the service.

Nottingham CityCare’s virtual ward currently supports the NUH respiratory and frailty specialities, with further specialty pathways being developed.

Nottingham CityCare is the city’s largest provider of NHS community care.

The Virtual Ward Team (pictured) consists of ten multi-disciplinary staff who carry out holistic assessments and patient monitoring checks, delivering a safe and efficient alternative to an NHS hospital bed. This means patients can be supported to remain independent and recover in the place they call home, whilst helping with bed flow within the hospital.

Patients who are suitable to be referred to a virtual ward will usually have an ongoing health concern that in the past would have required a longer hospital stay but can now safely be managed in the community with regular multidisciplinary meetings led by the responsible Medical Consultant.

The team is now starting to use remote monitoring equipment to increase capacity, regularly monitoring submitted vital health data and responding appropriately.

Helen Woodiwiss, Director of Operations at Nottingham CityCare said:

“The Nottingham CityCare virtual ward continues to evolve, expanding the provision of safe and effective care to patients who otherwise would still be in hospital, through a combination of face-to-face visits and remote monitoring.

Working in partnership with Nottingham HealthCare Trust we are now progressing with a “step-up” pathway into the virtual ward to avoid a hospital admission.”

Charlene Johal, Virtual Ward Matron said:

“There’s nothing like recovering in the comfort of your own home with the support of a Community Nurse, and your family and friends nearby. Virtual Wards are a positive step for patients and encourage independence.”

Nottingham CityCare works collaboratively with NHS system partners Nottingham University Hospitals and Nottinghamshire Healthcare Trust across the City and south Nottinghamshire.