About the Virtual Ward

Virtual wards (also known as ‘hospital at home’) allow patients to get the care they need at home, safely and conveniently, rather than being in hospital. 

Health care professionals will monitor your condition at home and make changes to your care and treatment without the need for you to stay in hospital.

You are not being discharged

When you are looked after on a Virtual ward, you have not been discharged from the hospital. You are still under the care of Kingston Hospital. We will continue to care for you to make sure your condition does not get worse.

How we monitor you

We will telephone you every day to check how you are feeling and to ask if you have any concerns. The call will be from either a nurse or physiotherapist from the Virtual ward team.

When you leave hospital, we will give you a portable ‘pulse oximeter’. This is used to check your heart rate and the oxygen level in your blood. The two values will be displayed on the device. You may also be asked to use additional devices, such as a blood pressure machine. You will only need to use these devices when we are on the phone with you. 

The pulse oximeter is placed like a peg on your index finger. Make sure your nails are not covered with any nail varnish. This is to make sure you get a good reading.

During the call, we will ask you to use the pulse oximeter machine to measure your pulse and oxygen levels. If you have a blood pressure machine, we may also ask you to use this. You will then tell us the measurements over the phone.

We may call you more often, depending on how you are.

Before you go home

Before you leave hospital, a member of the Virtual ward team will explain how our service works and why you are being admitted under our care.

We will ask you to sign a consent form that states that you will follow the monitoring and treatment we recommend.

We will give you a pulse oximeter to take home with you and instructions on how to use it. We may also give you additional equipment, such as a blood pressure machine. 

Before you leave, the Nurse-in-charge on the ward will give you any medications you need and explain how to take them.

When you get home

When to call us

Call the hotline:

  • if you do not feel well at any point
  • if you have any concerns, questions or clarifications needed. 

Once at home, follow these instructions.

  • Take all medicines as instructed on the label or on the discharge summary letter given to you by the ward. 
  • We will call you the following day for your daily check-up. After that, we will call you at least one a day.
  • Make sure that you are near your phone so that you will be able to answer it throughout the day. 
  • If you need to leave the house and do not have a mobile phone, tell the Virtual Ward team so that we know when to contact you.
  • During the phone call we will ask you to use the pulse oximeter to measure your heart rate and oxygen levels. If you were given a BP machine, we will also ask you to take your BP. You can give us the results over the phone.

Any other concerns

If you feel more unwell

Contact the Virtual Ward patient hotline straight away if you feel worse. We will do an initial assessment over the phone. 

DO NOT contact your GP as you are still under our care. 

  • We may visit you at home depending on your condition.
  • If you are well enough, we will continue to monitor you from home. 
  • If you need additional scans or procedures, we may ask you to come back to the hospital via SDEC and go home the same day.
  • If you condition is getting worse, we may need to admit you again, via our Emergency Department (A&E).

If you run out of medicines

We will supply all your medications whilst you are under our care. Let us know if you are running low on anything. We will deliver what you need to your home.

Do not contact your pharmacist unless we tell you to do so. They will not have an updated list of your medications as you are not yet discharged.

After you are discharged from the Virtual ward

After you are discharged, we will come to collect the monitoring devices.

We will also bring any medications if you have run out.

We will send you a discharge summary letter by post and a copy will also be sent separately to your GP.

Who to contact after discharge

If you become unwell after being discharged from the Virtual ward:

  • contact your GP
  • call NHS 111 
  • or call 999 in an emergency.

Contact information

Virtual Ward patient hotline

Telephone:

0777 184 3245
(8am to 6pm) for any questions or concerns.
Outside these hours, call NHS 111, or 999 in an emergency