East Cheshire NHS Trust’s Virtual Ward benefits over 1,300 patients by reducing hospital admissions through specialised home care

Since its launch in January 2023, East Cheshire NHS Trust’s Virtual Ward service has empowered 1,335 patients to receive specialised care in the comfort of their own homes. 

This innovative service has significantly reduced the need for hospital admissions, providing patients with high-quality care led by consultants and supported by a dedicated team of Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACPs), Community Nurses, Therapists, and Rapid Response Care Providers.

As part of the Trust’s ‘Hospital at Home’ initiative, the Virtual Ward service has expanded its offerings to include a diverse array of services tailored to various patient needs including Intravenous (IV) therapy at home, general medical care, palliative support, urgent community responses, triage, GP visits, and district nursing services.

Jane Watson, Team Leader for Virtual Ward and Urgent Community Response at East Cheshire NHS Trust, said: “We are incredibly proud of the success and growth of our Virtual Ward service.

“The service operates through a collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach, bringing specialist clinical staff directly to patients’ homes, and allows the service to care for patients with more complex needs than traditional community services.

“This initiative has not only improved patient outcomes but also enhanced the overall patient experience by allowing individuals to receive comprehensive care in the comfort of their own homes.”

On average, the Virtual Ward supports 40 to 50 patients daily and since April 2024, has helped 602 patients stay at home, demonstrating its effectiveness.

One patient commented: “To enable people to have this level of care at home is priceless. The service is wonderful, with lots of smiles from all the team too which made me feel better.”

For more information on the Trust’s Virtual Ward service, please click here.

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Notes for editors

• For further information about East Cheshire NHS Trust, contact the Trust press office on 01625 663935.
• East Cheshire NHS Trust is the main provider of acute and community health services for people across East Cheshire. The Trust is based at Macclesfield District General Hospital, and also manages Congleton War Memorial Hospital and Knutsford and District Community Hospital.
• Follow East Cheshire NHS Trust on Twitter for all the latest news: @EastCheshireNHS
• East Cheshire NHS Charity goes above and beyond standard Government funding to make your local NHS that extra special. From supporting staff health and wellbeing to providing toys to brighten up our young patients’ days to making long stay patients feel more at home – our mission is to make a visible difference. You can make a donation to the charity on JustGiving here.