NHS England is extending the use of virtual wards to treating children.
It said it will use remote monitoring technology to treat a range of conditions in children’s homes, including respiratory illness.
This follows successful trials with more than 6,400 children in locations including Blackpool, Dudley and Dorset.
The move is part of the wider plan to create an extra 10,000 virtual ward beds in the NHS by winter, and comes as more than 160,000 adult patients have been treated on virtual wards since April of last year.
People on a virtual ward are cared for by a multi-skilled team who can provide a range of tests and treatments, including blood tests, prescribing medication or administering fluids through an intravenous drip.
Ward round options
Patients are reviewed daily by the clinical team and the ‘ward round’ may involve a home visit or take place through video technology. Many virtual wards use technology like apps, wearables and other medical devices enabling clinical staff to easily check in and monitor their recovery.
NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said: “Virtual wards are already providing excellent care to families when their children are sick, and this expansion will enable thousands more to receive high quality care from home.
“Being treated at home can have a hugely positive impact on patients – it means they receive hospital-level care, but it also means they are not separated from their families – providing peace of mind for loved ones.”
