Work by The Health Foundation shows that 63% of NHS staff are ‘very’ or ‘quite’ supportive of the use of virtual wards. Respondents also highlighted the importance of senior clinician buy-in for virtual wards, something that is currently frequently lacking due to concerns about the risks of managing patients remotely. There is still little evidence about the efficacy of virtual wards or the effect on patient outcomes – work that the NHS should prioritise if it plans to continue the expanded use of virtual wards. One interviewee told us that they created teams for major conditions that worked across a range of primary care, secondary care, community care and social care. The workforce plan is welcome but does not address key issuesThe government committed to releasing a long-term workforce plan at the 2022 autumn statement.

Source: The Times October 30, 2023 12:31 UTC