Thousands of seriously ill children have been able to avoid lengthy spells in hospital as a result of NHS “virtual ward” technology that monitors them in their homes.
Children and infants with conditions including severe asthma, heart failure and respiratory infections such as bronchiolitis are receiving “hospital-level care” remotely.
They are given technology such as heart rate monitors that automatically transmits data to a dashboard in their local hospital, which is monitored round the clock by medical staff. They receive home visits from nurses when needed, such as to take blood tests or deliver medication.
More than half of NHS trusts run paediatric virtual wards, and research shows being at home helps children sleep and eat better, as well as reducing disruption to their parents’ lives and work. It also allows them to keep up with schoolwork, siblings and friends.
The ward is run using the Feebris tech platform, which uses artificial intelligence to monitor vital signs through wearable devices connected to an app.
Those to benefit include Lily Anthony Smith, 11, who has a complex kidney condition that requires regular blood tests and monitoring. She was able to spend Christmas at home with her family and new puppy, after being placed in the virtual ward at University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL).
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Lily’s mother said: “Lily has spent so much time in hospital and we dread her being poorly around Christmas, where she can end up being admitted to hospital. Knowing that she’s being monitored and that we have access to the virtual ward means she is safe and able to be at home where we can all be together.”
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Esther Birrell, the lead nurse for UHL’s paediatric virtual ward, said the programme allowed children to be “surrounded by family” while receiving the same level of attention as in hospital. “Hospitals can feel daunting for children, even with all our efforts to make them bright and welcoming,” she said.
Dr Elina Naydenova, the chief executive of Feebris, said virtual wards were particularly beneficial for children with complex long-term conditions. “Without this they would be stuck in hospital for long periods of time,” she said, which put huge “stress on the child and stress on the family”.
Naydenova added: “There is a huge emotional burden of being in a hospital for a long time. Christmas and birthdays can be a really difficult time to be stuck in hospital.
“Children are separated from their families, usually one parent stays with the sick child, the other stays with other children at home. If the child is managed at home, parents can juggle care more easily and work remotely. Children are more able to keep up with schoolwork.”
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Youngsters are equipped with sensors and medical devices connected to an app via bluetooth, and doctors are sent alerts for any changes in symptoms. The Feebris platform uses AI to analyse data and alert staff to any warning signs that a child needs extra help.
Research by Feebris found that eight in ten parents said having their children on the virtual ward helped them manage other family and work commitments. Nine in ten said their child slept and ate better at home than when in hospital.
The latest NHS data shows that more than 30,000 patients a month are treated on NHS virtual wards in England, including children. The NHS ten-year health plan, announced last year, said wearable technology would “enable virtual wards to become the norm for managing many conditions at home”.
Paediatric virtual wards have been used for children with conditions including jaundice, severe tonsillitis, asthma, gastroenteritis and heart conditions.
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Professor Meghana Pandit, NHS England’s national medical director, said: “Virtual wards are enabling increasing numbers of patients of all ages to receive hospital-level care from the comfort of their own homes while freeing up beds for those who need them most.
“This is particularly important for children, as a hospital stay can be very worrying for them and their families, so virtual wards mean they can be cared for at home surrounded by loved ones — making their recovery process easier and reducing the burden of travel for visits.
“Virtual wards are a prime example of how the NHS has embraced innovation and technology as we continue to shift care closer to home.”
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