MORE than 1,700 patients across the Isle of Wight and Hampshire have received hospital-level care in their own homes thanks to new virtual wards, says the Integrated Care Board (ICB).

Patients have received care in 395 ‘virtual beds’ for health concerns ranging from falls to respiratory conditions and heart failure.

Virtual wards enable healthcare professionals to provide support and treatment in people’s homes or continue treatment at home after a stay in hospital.

Hampshire and IW ICB research claims virtual wards improve patients’ outcomes and the journey through the health and care system by helping prevent avoidable admissions into hospital and support safe and timely discharges.

In a virtual ward, new technologies, including wearable devices, smart devices and oxygen and blood pressure monitors, provide real-time information on a patient’s vital signs through apps to a dedicated, remote team of healthcare professionals.

This technology enables them to monitor their patient’s condition and direct care and support, either virtually or face-to-face if and when needed.

Lena Samuels, chair of Hampshire and IW ICB, said: “I am proud of the progress that we have made across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, offering hundreds of people who would otherwise have been in hospital the opportunity to be treated in the comfort of their own home.”

The number of virtual ward beds more than doubled between September and December 2022 as the scheme rolled out across the Island and Hampshire.