Welcome to the Virtual Ward

Introduction

This guide is for you if you are in hospital at the moment but our clinical team think you are well enough to be monitored and cared for at home instead. We call this way of caring for you the ‘Virtual Ward’.

The Virtual Ward gives you the professional healthcare you need, in the comfort of your own home, with the things and people you know.

How are you looked after on a Virtual Ward?

If your clinical team feel you are suitable to be cared for by our Virtual Ward team, they will discuss this with you. Together with the Virtual Ward team they will create your tailor-made care plan. This includes making decisions with you on any monitoring equipment that is necessary, tests that you may need, and details of your medication. This will be explained to you by a member of the Virtual Ward team.

Leaving hospital for the Virtual Ward

When you are taken into the care of the Virtual Ward team and go home, your clinical ward team will:

  • Give you all your medications
  • Tell you how to contact the virtual ward team
  • Give you a copy of your personalised care plan
  • Tell your GP that you have been admitted to the Virtual Ward team so they are aware that you are home
  • Provide a care plan for the Virtual Ward team to follow

The Virtual Ward team will visit or contact you regularly so that they can see how you are getting on. If you feel uneasy about this arrangement or are unhappy with it at any stage, please tell your clinical team. You will be under the care of the Virtual Ward team for a maximum of 2 weeks until you are well enough to be discharged.

Medicines

When you leave the hospital, you will receive your medications labelled with instructions on how and when to take them while under the care on the Virtual Ward team. This allows time to get new prescriptions from your doctor and pharmacy. It is essential to follow your doctor’s guidance when taking this medication. The clinical team may modify your normal medications while you are under the care of the Virtual Ward. If this happens we will discuss it with you and give you with instructions and reasons for changes.

Who works on a Virtual Ward?

We have a specialist and dedicated Virtual Ward team which includes doctors, nurses, advanced clinical practitioners, community nurses and other healthcare practitioners.

How do you contact the Virtual Ward team?

The Virtual Ward team will be in contact with you regularly as outlined in your personalised care plan. If however you need to speak to a member of the team outside these times you can contact us on 01274 366323.

What do you do after discharge from the Virtual Ward?

When you are well enough to be discharged from the Virtual Ward we will give you and your GP a discharge letter. We will make sure your continuing care needs are passed to the community services team, as we would if you were being discharged from hospital. Your ongoing care will be back with your GP, your community provider or any other specialist team you are registered with. This will be explained to you on discharge.

What do we need from you?

We need you to work with us to make sure you get the best treatment for your illness while you are in the care of the Virtual Ward team. It is essential that we can contact you by telephone at your home to enable the Virtual Ward team to visit you. This is so that we can monitor your condition and care. You may be asked to return to the hospital for a review of your treatment.

Please feel free to talk to us at any time about your experience of care by our Virtual Ward team. Our teams are happy to explain any details throughout your care. Following your stay with the Virtual Ward team we will be in touch with you to ask for formal feedback. Your feedback will be used to improve our service, to make sure that we provide the highest quality healthcare at all times.

What should you do if you feel unwell?

Call the Virtual Ward team if:

  • You are so breathless that you are unable to say short sentences when resting
  • Your breathing has suddenly got worse
  • You cough up blood
  • You feel cold and sweaty with pale or blotchy skin
  • You develop a rash that looks like small bruises or bleeding under the skin and does not fade when you roll a glass over it
  • You collapse or faint
  • You feel agitated, confused, or very drowsy
  • You have stopped passing urine or are passing much less than usual
  • You feel generally unwell
  • Your heart rate is outside the range you have been advised to expect
  • If your oxygen saturations are outside the range you have been advised to expect

Accessible Information

People with hearing and speech difficulties

You can contact us using the Relay UK app. Textphone users will need to dial 18001 before the number to be contacted.

Accessible Information

If you need this information in another format or language, please ask a member of staff.

Smoking

Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a smoke-free organisation. You are not permitted to smoke or use e-cigarettes in any of the hospital buildings or grounds.