An evaluation of the clinical and cost effectiveness of adult respiratory and frailty virtual wards implemented across South Yorkshire

Virtual Wards (VWs) were developed to support patients who would otherwise be in hospital to receive acute care, monitoring, and treatment at their usual place of residence. This includes preventing avoidable hospital admission (step up care) or supporting early discharge (step down care). VWs were listed as a key ambition in the ‘delivery plan for recovering urgent and emergency care services’ published by NHS England, 2023. There has been a rapid national expansion of VWs during the COVID-19 pandemic, but evidence about the impact of VWs on patient care, clinical outcomes, and cost-effectiveness is limited. Early evidence suggests clinical outcomes are as good or better than for inpatients, but there are equity related concerns. Evidence on cost-effectiveness is unclear; with most studies experiencing methodological issues. There is a need for further evidence to understand the value of VWs. The South Yorkshire Integrated Care System (SY ICS) has implemented respiratory and frailty VWs in four locations: Barnsley, Rotherham, Doncaster, and Sheffield.This proposed study aims to provide a multi-centre evaluation of the impact of VWs on patient care, clinical and cost outcomes, and NHS costs using routinely collected data. The findings from this study will address existing evidence gaps, as well as help guide discussions around the future of VWs across SY ICS.

02/12/2024

20 months