Violet-Anne Wynne
Question:528. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health what is meant by the term “digital wards”; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5306/24]
View answerWednesday, 7 February 2024
Questions (528)
Written answers
With thanks to the Deputy's office who clarified that the term used by the Minister was 'Virtual Wards' rather than 'Digital Wards'. The Minister used this term during his opening comments at the joint committee on health, which he attended last week. Virtual Wards have emerged as a viable clinical intervention, enabled by technology, that is a safe and efficient alternative to inpatient hospital care. Virtual wards support patients who would otherwise be in hospital to receive the acute care, monitoring and treatment they need in their own home. The testing of the model has demonstrated good health outcomes for service users in addition to significant cost savings and high levels of patient and clinician satisfaction. Virtual wards are already used in other countries and a clinical team from the HSE had the opportunity to see these in practice at the NHS last year.Virtual wards are being trialled in Limerick and Dublin this year and will be deployed more extensively if successful.