Healthy communities: virtual ward easing acute hospital pressure
Pictured: Respiratory service trainee advanced clinical practitioner visits Catherine Stubbs-Parker at home.
Catherine Stubbs-Parker is just one of hundreds of patients who has benefited from receiving care in a virtual ward.
Catherine, 78 and from Harborne, was cared for on the respiratory virtual ward for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) after an exacerbation of the condition led to a stay at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.
Catherine, whose husband was also in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital recovering from a heart operation at the same time, jumped at the chance to go home under the care of a virtual ward.
The next day, a specialist physiotherapist visited Catherine’s home and provided respiratory assessment and management, ensuring she had everything she needed to continue her daily treatment and monitoring at home.
She also had a short-term nebuliser and an oxygen concentrator which she used for several hours a day.
“He visited me at home for an initial review the day after I left hospital. His reassuring attitude gave me the confidence I needed to continue my treatment in the virtual ward. He not only checked that I had everything I needed, but that I understood how to use it.
“I felt well-informed, which in turn eased my stress. The key benefits for me were that I like to be at home with my husband and we have our daily routine. Nobody wants to stay in hospital if they don’t need to.
“Being able to have a cup of tea and dinner in the comfort of my own home, while knowing that the care team are just a phone call away if I need them is very reassuring.”