NHS England has asked local health systems to expand their use of virtual wards for patients with heart failure.
It has published a guidance note on the subject, saying the move would enable people to remain active while undergoing treatment at home.
The note says that integrated care boards should work with cardiac clinical networks to understand the needs of people in their local populations with heart failure, along with workforce skills and existing service provision. These can be used in identifying opportunities to deliver virtual ward care.
It also sets out a minimum requirement for patients, including factors such as access to specialist care and advice, staffing and clinical oversight, and admissions.
Virtual wards provide care for patients in their homes through the use of remote monitoring technology.
Faster recovery
NHS England said there are now about a dozen in use for heart failure patients, and that the approach can speed up recovery times for patients.
Its national medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, said: “More than 240,000 patients have already benefitted from virtual wards, and now we are growing this service to patients with heart failure.
“This is a positive development in how the NHS can treat patients, and testament to the hard work of our staff after hitting our target of 10,000 virtual ward beds last month.
“The expansion has been implemented at a key time just before winter, when there will be a lot more pressure on our hospitals and will free up beds for those who need them the most.”
The move comes after NHS England hit its target of delivering 10,000 virtual ward beds last month.
It said around 200,000 people a year are diagnosed with heart failure, and people living with the long term condition requiring significant input from NHS services make up 5% of all emergency hospital admissions in the UK attributed to the condition.
