Virtual Ward treats 2,000 hospital patients

The joint initiative between Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals and Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust, was launched in 2023 and allows eligible patients to safely receive hospital-level care at home, supported by daily check-ins and regular visits from nursing teams.

Dawn Galvin (64) was admitted to Doncaster Royal Infirmary last April for cellulitis.

After a few days in hospital, she was transferred to the Virtual Ward for nearly two weeks.

“I had to have IV antibiotics, observations and my dressings changed,” she said.

“At first, the nurses came every day – this reduced to every other day as my condition improved.

“I think that being treated at home helped my recovery.

“When you’re in hospital you’re surrounded by other sick people and the beeping from equipment – you can’t get a good night’s sleep.

“It also took the pressure off my family when it came to visiting. They didn’t have to worry about visiting times or parking, as they could pop to see me at home.”

Mandy Tyrrell, Virtual Ward manager at DBTH, said: “Working in healthcare, you must be forward-thinking – this is a holistic approach to care.

“Being treated at home can reduce the risks of muscle de-conditioning and hospital-acquired infections.

"With RDaSH, we have successfully cared for over 2,000 patients across 12 specialities so far, with more specialities in the pipeline.”