Norfolk Integrated Virtual Ward
We allow patients discharged from a hospital bed at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to continue to receive hospital monitoring and treatment at home. This means that patients who meet the criteria for the service can be safely discharged from hospital sooner, while continuing to receive the support they need.
This service is for residents in West Norfolk. This service is jointly provided by our Trust and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn NHS Foundation Trust.
There are 3 treatment pathways:
- Respiratory
- Heart Failure
- Cellulitis
We expect patients to be under the care of the Integrated Virtual Ward for up to 14 days, depending on their treatment plans and recovery.
If suitable for Integrated Virtual ward care, patients are trained how to use a device which sends continuous or intermittent observations including their breathing, heart rate, and temperature, directly to the Virtual Ward team.
If there is a sign of health deterioration such as blood pressure rising, the Virtual Ward team gets an alert immediately. Staff can call the patient over the phone or by video call to talk through any health changes and to decide on the most appropriate next steps.
When under the care of the Integrated Virtual Ward, patients will remain under the care of their hospital consultant. Patients will also be supported by community and specialist teams from our Trust. This includes the Community Virtual Ward team and specialist heart failure nurses and respiratory nurses.
Downloads
Referral
We accept referrals from Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
