The Royal London Hospital has highlighted the impact of the use of a virtual platform for its children’s cancer ward, reportedly enabling children deemed well enough to be monitored from home.
Launched in 2023, the trust noted that children with cancer are at an increased risk of infection, and when “a patient develops a fever they need to be admitted to hospital for at least 48 hours, where they can be at further risk of picking up other illnesses”. However, with the virtual ward in place, those deemed well enough after an initial assessment can return home to be cared for.
Whilst at home, patients are monitored using equipment which records their observations every four hours, with data “continuously monitored by the clinical nurse specialist team who stay in touch with the parents and can escalate concerns when necessary”.
Last year, around 44 percent of patients presenting with a fever were managed through the virtual ward, according to the trust. A video from the Barts Health YouTube account features a case study of a young patient cared for on the ward is available to watch here.
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Black Country ICB has published a prior information notice for the procurement of a remote monitoring and virtual ward platform to support the delivery of “multi-disciplinary and collaborative health services”, by opening a pre-market engagement ahead of a procurement mid-2025. Valued at £600k with an estimated four-year timescale, the procurement is part of a collaborative effort covering both primary and secondary care, and The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust.
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has shared an evaluation of its virtual royal infirmary programme, demonstrating the impact of its “hospital-level care directly to patients’ homes”. Since launching in June 2023, the service covers seven specialities, across acute medicine, cardiology, gastroenterology, general surgery, renal, respiratory and vascular care, with the hospital noting the service supports a “reduction in unnecessary hospital admissions and supports early discharge”, adding “in line with patients’ preferred choice of care”.
