NICE and virtual wards
We're working with colleagues to ensure that virtual wards are used in a way that maximises the value for patients and the NHS.
Our virtual wards resource
Our resource focuses on virtual wards or hospital at home services. This is part of a broader digital home care spectrum for managing long-term conditions, including vital sign monitoring to keep people well in their homes. Where we develop resources in the future that relate to these areas, we will update our website, to make it easier for commissioners and practitioners to find the information that they need.
We're listening to the system
Our aim is to ensure that we focus on what matters most to the health and care system. Our early discussions with health and care professionals, about their experience whilst implementing virtual wards, have highlighted the challenges, benefits and considerations of implementing this new model of care.
Our work supporting new models of care continues. We are updating a number of clinical guidelines and will include digital home care and virtual wards within this.
We also produce quality standards that set out priority areas for quality improvement in health, public health and social care. We have not included our quality standards in our virtual wards resource, but many will also include useful information that can be applied to virtual wards. Find out more about our quality standards.
Other useful resources
Outside of our guidance, there are many other useful resources available to help you establish virtual wards.
Please note, we have not validated the details of these resources, nor do we provide them as recommendations.
Guidance and policy documents
Summary of virtual wards datasets and evaluations (Word). This document has been created by NICE’s data analytics team and will be updated periodically.
User experience and advice
How do the public and NHS staff feel about virtual wards? (report by The Health Foundation).
Practical support for patients and carers (Carers UK).