About the technology enabled elearning programme
The virtual wards (VW) enabled by technology elearning session provides an overview of learning for registered clinicians working on a VW. It also includes links to national guidance and clinical pathway resources.
VWs allow patients to receive the care they need in their own home, safely and conveniently rather than in hospital. VWs also provide integrated care systems with an opportunity to narrow the gap between demand and capacity for secondary care beds, by providing an alternative to admission or early discharge. A VW supports a person who would otherwise be in a physical hospital bed, to get the acute care, remote monitoring and treatment they need in their own home. There are different VW models, and their emphasis on technology varies in line with patient needs and preferences.
VWs are suitable for a range of conditions that can be safely and effectively managed and monitored at home. Many local areas have developed or are developing VWs enabled by technology for a range of conditions, including for people with respiratory problems, COVID-19 and heart failure.
This is the first of a number of elearning sessions to support clinical staff to better understand who the patients are, how they are admitted, why monitoring is important, their role in monitoring, remote assessment and escalation. Integrated care systems (ICSs) will adopt their own approaches to the delivery of care and this learning should be used in conjunction with local training, guidance and policies. Future sessions will be developed to support other models of VW care, for example Hospital@Home.
Primary and secondary audiences
Primary – registered health care professional working or setting up a virtual ward in primary, community and secondary care
Secondary – any others working in a virtual ward and other interested parties in the health and care sector and arms length bodies
More information
https://www.england.nhs.uk/nhs-at-home/virtual-wards/
Education sessions will be added for support services and non-registered staff working in VWs and other models of VW care.
Acknowledgements
The team would like to thank the following people for their support in creating this programme:
Emily Wells, CNIO, Norfolk, Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Mathew Inada-Kim NHS England and NHS Improvement, National Clinical Lead COVID NHS@home Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Gordon Elder, CNIO, Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust.
Previous COVID-19 ward team. Select here to access this Programme
Meet the team
Breid O’Brien
Deputy Director, Digital Health Team, NHSX
Zoe Harris
Senior (clinical) Delivery Manager, Digital Health Team, NHSX
Natasha Parry
Clinical Adviser, Digital Health Team, NHSX
Holly Carr
Florence Nightingale Digital leadership Fellow, Clinical Safety team
Sara Nelson
Deputy Chief Nursing Information Officer, NHSX
James Lane
Senior Project Delivery Manager - Engagement Lead, NHSX
Nicola Fulton
Deputy Head of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement, NHSX and NHS England
Alex Drinkall
Communications and Stakeholder Lead, HEE elearning for healthcare
Emma Nye
Programme Manager, HEE elearning for healthcare
CJ McKay
Project Manager, HEE elearning for healthcare
Alan Campbell
HEE elearning for healthcare Learning Designer
How to access
In order to access any elfh programme, you will need an elfh account. If you do not have one, then you can register by selecting the Register button below.
To view the Virtual wards enabled by technology programme, select the View button below. If you already have an account with elfh, you will also be able to login and enrol on the programme from the View button.
If you already have an account with elfh, then you can enrol on to the Virtual wards enabled by technology programme by logging in to the elfh Hub, selecting My Account > Enrolment and selecting the programme. You can then access the programme immediately in the My e-Learning section.
Not an NHS organisation?
If you are not an NHS health or care organisation and therefore do not qualify for free access elfh Hub, you may be able to access the service by creating an OpenAthens account.
To check whether or not you qualify for free access via OpenAthens, you can view the eligibility criteria and register on the ‘OpenAthens’ portal.
Registering large numbers of users
If you are a HR, IT or Practice Manager and would like to register and enrol large numbers of staff within your organisation for access onto the Virtual wards enabled by technology programme, please contact elfh directly.
Organisations wishing to use their own LMS
For HR departments wanting to know more about gaining access to courses using an existing Learning Management System please contact elfh directly to express interest.
More information
Please select the following link for more information on how to use the elfh Hub.