Welcome to our Virtual Ward
The NHS is introducing more virtual wards to support people away from hospitals, in a location more convenient for them. A virtual ward provides an alternative option for those who become unwell and would normally be spending time in hospital.
Virtual wards prevent avoidable admission into hospital, supporting early discharge out of hospital, and increase the overall bed-base available for acute care. Keeping patients in familiar surroundings, but with the necessary care and support from the hospital and community services, is likely to improve their outcome.
Having your care delivered on a virtual ward can mean you spend a shorter amount of time in hospital, or avoid being admitted altogether. This reduces those risks known to be associated with hospital stays. We have developed and are continuing to develop, different Virtual Wards, all designed to provide specialist care to patients admitted onto them
General Medicine Virtual Ward
Our General Medicine Virtual Ward has been created, in partnership with the Greater Peterborough Network, to provide safe and optimal care to adults with frailty, who may require urgent or emergency care needs due to intercurrent illness, a frailty syndrome or an exacerbation in an underlying pre-existing long-term condition.
The Virtual Ward is available to patients who have been assessed by our clinicians, and whose management and care is best supported in the community with added social care support and/or clinical input from primary care. Patients must be:
- Diagnosed with a condition that can be managed within the community setting.
- Aged 18 and above
- Patient requiring short term (1-14 days) stay on the Virtual Ward
- Living within Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
When admitted onto the Virtual Ward, patients will be provided with a full explanation of what to expect, and how they will be cared for (alongside any ongoing care requirements).
Frailty Virtual Ward
Our Frailty Virtual Ward was the first Virtual Ward to be launched at the Trust, in December 2022. The ward has been created, in partnership with the Greater Peterborough Network, to provide safe and optimal care to adults with frailty, who may be presenting to our front door with urgent or emergency care needs due to intercurrent illness and /or presenting with a frailty syndrome and/ or to manage an exacerbation in an underlying pre-existing long-term condition.
The Virtual Ward is available to patients who have been assessed by NWAngliaFT clinician’s, and who’s management and care is best supported in the community with added social care support and/or clinical input from primary care. Patients must be:
- Diagnosed with a condition that can be managed within the community setting.
- Aged 65 and above
- Patient requiring short term (1-14 days) stay on the Virtual Ward.
When admitted onto the Virtual Ward, patients will be provided with a full explanation of what to expect, and how they will be cared for (alongside any ongoing care requirements).
Intravenous (IV) Antibiotics at home service
The Trust is now able to support patient with IV Antibiotics in their own home. This service is delivered through leading specialty pharmacy, Sciensus.
Sciensus provide healthcare solutions to a wide variety of patients, they have provided access life changing treatment to patients in the comfort of their homes, for 30 years. Sciensus work alongside our Trust to offer this service to eligible patients in Peterborough, Huntingdon and South Lincolnshire. Patients can receive the IV Antibiotics they need, in the comfort of their own home.
The service offers patients a 24 hour infusion. The service can be accessed for a maximum of six weeks.