Virtual Wards: Qualitative evaluation of non-users’ views on virtual wards in Croydon, Merton, and Wandsworth

This report details the findings from a joint research project between South West London Healthwatch (Healthwatch Croydon, Healthwatch Wandsworth, and staff from the South West London coordination team) and the Health Innovation Network, which was conducted to understand why individuals would reject the offer to be admitted onto a virtual ward as well as general views and perceptions of the model. 

They spoke with 29 participants during this study. Twenty-three one-to-one, structured interviews were conducted with: A hospital inpatient who has rejected an offer to be admitted onto a virtual ward; individuals in the community with a long-term physical condition and/or frailty who had never used a virtual ward; and carers of these individuals. They also engaged an additional six carers in focus group discussions.

They found that people expressed positive attitudes towards virtual wards, although people raised concerns about technological barriers, vulnerable people being left alone at home, and the skillsets of staff visiting patients at home.