Virtual wards are a new implemented care programme, acting as an extension of the hospital ward, but what impact do these virtual wards have? What are the benefits to patients? Are virtual wards financially viable?
It is important to assess the services provided in healthcare to ensure they are performing properly, within the realms of a budget and providing the excellent care required. Dissecting a virtual ward is no different and standards must be met, otherwise patients risk suffering.
Below is a quick video from Access giving an overview of what virtual wards are and how they function:
Everyone knows what a hospital ward is and what it does, but the advent of virtual wards has led to discussions in the media about what virtual wards are, why they matter, and whether hospital wards or virtual wards are better for patient care.
British news coverage initially suggested that virtual wards are a replacement for hospital wards. This inevitably led to public outcry and a degree of hostility towards the implementation of virtual wards, but the truth is that virtual wards are meant to be an extension of hospital care – aptly dubbed 'Hospital at Home'.
Virtual wards, also referred to as ‘Hospital at home’, are a way of providing care to patients - during the recovery process or as long-term support.
The rollout of virtual wards is being keenly pursued in 2023 in response to long hospital waiting times, especially those for A&E. Virtual wards are being established to move people out of hospital beds where feasible. Suppliers like The Access Group are providing solutions such as Access Assure to enable this remote monitoring through physical devices and integrated software.
Making the NHS greener is not a new objective, but NHS England is making a renewed push for a greener NHS. The goal is to make efficiency savings that can be put back into care provision, whilst also benefiting the environment through less pollution and less waste.
This means balancing business practices that will benefit the environment against those that won’t; only continuing with the necessary evils that a major healthcare organisation cannot avoid if it wants to continue to provide excellent care.
Digital inclusion might sound like a buzzword but for healthcare the importance of digital inclusion cannot be stressed enough. Modern technology is enhancing healthcare to be more effective but also more flexible and personal to the individual.
This is great – but not if the user can’t engage with this new approach. This poses a problem to the patient but also to the clinician, who has a duty to provide the very best care possible. Instances where a patient can’t use the best resources mean a workaround is needed, which can be costly in time and effort and possibly at the expense of other patients in need.
In this article we explore what digital inclusion is, what digital exclusion looks like, the impact on the NHS and the UK, and the benefits to be had by either empowering patients with the education to utilise digital tools or the support to help get them online and connected.
Using digital solutions and commissioning technology is just one of the ways councils and Local Authorities improve their local areas and work towards ‘net zero’ targets. Scientists have warned what will happen if governments and the public fail to take action.
The government in response have amended their initial target of reducing carbon emissions made in the Climate Change Act 2008 from 80% to 100% by 2050.
The cycle of homelessness is getting more and more difficult to break. It is estimated that by 2024 more than 66,000 people will look to local authorities for extra support and financial aid to help them overcome their housing problems. Local authorities are currently struggling with the increasing demand leading to many people being left in unsuitable temporary accommodation.
So what is the homelessness cycle? What are the causes and why is it so difficult to break out?
At The Access Group we are aware of all the current housing problems individuals are facing including housing quality, affordability and housing shortages, and we know how difficult it can be to prevent more and more people falling into the homelessness cycle, as well as how hard it is to break away from it.
This article will review all the current causes of homelessness and the impacts these causes have on individuals, families, and local authorities. This article will then evaluate what the government have been putting into place and explore the best ways to break the cycle of homelessness.
We are pleased to announce that Milton Keynes Council will be using the digital adam Housing solution to drive efficiencies in their housing processes.
Many people aspire to become a parent, however, infertility is becoming more common. On average one in six couples are impacted by fertility challenges in the UK1. Undergoing a fertility journey is mentally and physically exhausting. The process is demanding, invasive and places a strain on mental health with no real certainty of success.
