As part of its new innovation framework to guide innovation in Ireland, HSE has reflected on its virtual care initiatives exemplifying successful innovation following local adoption with the potential to be scaled nationally. These include a virtual obstructive sleep apnoea identifier pathway, the community and acute respiratory excellence virtual ward, and virtual care delivery through Na hOileáin Sláintiúil (Healthy Islands).
The virtual obstructive sleep apnoea identifier pathway was developed at St James’s Hospital in Dublin, as a digital pathway to transform case identification and management, HSE reports. Patients complete a symptom questionnaire digitally through a HSE-approved app, before being posted a home sleep study kit. Following their participation, patients are then provided with a virtual consultation with a sleep specialist, which also takes place via the app.
A proof of concept pilot for the pathway involved 112 patients and was found to reduce average time from referral to intervention from three years to five-and-a-half months. “The approach also generated estimated cost savings of €1,000 per patient by reducing inpatient sleep studies and staffing demands,” HSE adds. It has now been “mainstreamed” at St James’s Hospital, and next steps include an evaluation of feasibility for scaling it to other locations, it continues, with regional innovation functions to identify suitable deployment sites, and plans to share with the National Innovation Structure for progression.
The community and acute respiratory excellence (CARE) virtual ward in Donegal has been established to improve access to healthcare for patients with COPD, using a community virtual ward approach harnessing digital technology and continuous respiratory monitoring in a region where “geographical barriers can limit access to traditional hospital care”, HSE shares. Patients can be enrolled via avenues including GP active exacerbation referrals, supported discharge from hospital, and admission avoidance from ED.
Each pathway is supported by daily multidisciplinary huddles, with oversight from respiratory consultants, and “strong integration” from GPs, hospital specialists, the national ambulance service, and community intervention teams, according to HSE. From November 2023 to May 2025, there were 273 admissions, resulting in an 18 percent reduction in COPD hospital admissions, a 50 percent reduction in readmissions for COPD patients, and over 1,000 hospital bed days saved.
“Economically, CARE has proven highly efficient. The interim analysis estimated €2.3 million in savings, alongside reductions in carer burden, increased capacity for acute services, and enhanced workforce integration,” HSE explains. The project is now being evaluated with a focus on scalability and suitability, with acknowledgement that due to the number of patients admitted to the pathway with comorbidities like heart failure and diabetes, the model demonstrates the potential to integrate respiratory, cardiology, and diabetes pathways under enhanced community care structures.
HSE also shares work on the Healthy Islands programme, focusing on 2,700 residents across Ireland’s 12 habitable offshore islands who reportedly face “substantial healthcare access barriers”. This has included the virtual delivery of primary care consultations, outpatient appointments, and geriatric reviews using the Attend Anywhere platform and remote patient monitoring. Reportedly, this has led to “measurable reductions” in unnecessary patient transfers. Options are now being considered to scale the programme nationally, with the ambition of establishing virtual care infrastructure across Ireland’s offshore islands by the end of 2026. Expansion will be underpinned by aligning with the Department of Rural and Community Development and plans to deliver eHealth infrastructure for the islands.
Wider trend: Virtual care
South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust has set out its target operating model for virtual care, looking to build on existing success and introduce a unified digital approach to support “more predictable” waits, improved risk identification, and smoother patient flow. According to the trust, the new model will offer more consistency in clinical assessment for patients, expanded alternatives to ED conveyance, improved partnership working through more accurate referrals and shared records, and standardisation across tools, digital integration, and clinical escalation or advice points to support staff.
“Positive early results” are reportedly being seen from a virtual ward pilot for older adults with complex mental health needs in Sussex, with services being delivered via a combination of remote and community-based care. The pilot is part of a wider transformation programme across the region, offering support to older people to remain in their own home or care home rather than being admitted to hospital, mitigating distress and confusion that can accompany admissions, as well as discharge delays waiting for support for ongoing care needs.
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust has published its quality account for 2025/26, outlining successes over the last 12 months including its EPR programme. It shares that community teams now have shared access to digital records via SystmOne, and that Doccla has been introduced into the virtual ward model to support remote monitoring and digitally-enabled care. This is hoped to help identify deterioration earlier and improve clinician’s ability to access real-time patient information. Over 182,500 virtual outpatient appointments were also held in the 2025/26 period, representing 24 percent of total outpatient activity, with the trust stating that this places them in the highest quartile nationally.
