How to slow down the crippling waiting times in the NHS and the 40 new hospitals that never quite arrived after Johnson, is a question we all want an answer to.
Well, today the health department published a plan for up to 50,000 patients per month to be treated in ‘virtual wards.
In a news release it says: The NHS has already rolled out virtual wards – treating patients from the comfort of their own homes – with growing evidence that these are a safe and efficient alternative to hospital care, particularly for frail patients.
“These see patients supported by clinicians to recover in the comfort of their own home, rather than in hospital – and has increased the number of patients that can be cared for in this way by 7,000, a 50% increase since last summer. Another 3,000 ‘hospital at home’ beds will be created before next winter and the plan will include an ambition to see up to 50,000 people supported a month.”
The new strategy aims to keep people away from busy hospitals and instead see them treated at home on “virtual wards”, where they will be monitored at home by doctors using video and other technology.
Patients are reviewed daily by the clinical team who may visit them at home or use video technology to monitor and check how they are recovering.
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This is the video to watch!
Related: Chris Packham calls out the Daily Mail – ‘get your facts right’
