Surrey hospital to launch virtual ward to free up beds

From this summer, the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford will offer 15 patients treatment at home using apps and wearable technology, as an alternative to a stay in hospital.

The virtual ward will be overseen by a consultant who will work with nursing staff, therapists and pharmacists, and the hospital plans to extend the ward to 52 patients by April 2024.

Health providers across England have been asked to deliver virtual wards at a rate of 40 to 50 beds for every 100,000 people by December 2023, with the aim of freeing up beds more quickly, and speeding up admissions from A&E and for elective surgery.

NHS commentator Roy Lilley said the scheme had been developed through lessons learned during the pandemic, when GP surgeries switched to online consultations for most patients.

He said “The idea is to keep people out of hospital, and what is clear is that you do need people of a very high grade to look after people remotely.

“You have to have the experience and the skills to be able to spot a problem, so it’s not a cheap alternative, but it does mean that the beds are freed up.”

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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