David Oliver: With virtual wards, NHS England is overpromising once again (29 November 2023)

Summary

In this piece for the BMJ, David Oliver, consultant in geriatrics and acute general medicine, raises concerns about the way in which NHS England is using virtual wards. As well as pointing to the lack of solid evidence for the effectiveness and safety of virtual wards, he highlights lack of clarity in the use of the term, which is often being used interchangeably with 'Hospital at home', a different approach with a more robust evidence base. He also points out that staff working on virtual wards are taking workforce capacity from other parts of the health service and that the approach is placing additional pressure on existing primary and community care staff who are not part of the virtual ward.