Thousands more patients benefit from hospital care at home

Thousands of people across Cheshire and Merseyside are now able to receive hospital-level care in the comfort of their own homes, thanks to the expansion and development of virtual wards across the region.

Virtual wards enable people who would otherwise need to be admitted to hospital to receive appropriate care and treatment at home, under the clinical supervision of hospital-based clinicians, using technology like apps, wearables and other medical devices.

Since they were first introduced across Cheshire and Merseyside in 2022, virtual wards have continued to develop, with new clinical pathways and models of care enabling more patients to benefit from hospital care at home.

In January 2024, responsibility for leading the virtual ward programme was devolved to Cheshire and Merseyside Provider Collaborative – a partnership consisting of local NHS trusts. Since then, the Collaborative has worked with the eight lead providers across the region to develop new pathways and models of care.

The progress made over the last year resulted in a 51 per cent increase in the number of patients benefiting from virtual wards during 2025-26, meaning more than 5,000 additional patients were treated in their own homes under the clinical supervision of a hospital-based clinician, who would otherwise have been cared for in a hospital bed.

NHS Cheshire and Merseyside is now the best-performing Integrated Care Board (ICB) in the North West for virtual ward utilisation, with daily occupancy levels often exceeding 90 per cent of available capacity.

Feedback from patients across Cheshire and Merseyside found that 100 per cent expressed confidence in managing their health at home and felt involved in decisions about their care. Patients also highlighted the kindness, compassion and respect shown by virtual ward teams, as well as the joined-up approach between hospital, community and primary care services.

One patient said: “I was treated with care and respect throughout my time on the virtual ward. I could not praise the nurses enough”, while another described the freedom of recovering at home, saying: “I was able to rest at home, look out of the window at the birds, and have my treatment. There was no pressure on me”.

Patients have also highlighted the benefits of coordinated care, with one saying that doctors “arrived within two hours, conducted tests and ensured swift follow-up,” and another remarking that “within three hours, the lab liaised with the GP and I was back in A&E starting treatment. Everything ran smoothly, and care felt joined up”.

The virtual ward approach has also supported patients with complex and changing needs. In one case, a patient’s vulnerability to infections, confusion and deconditioning was managed through a step-up to the virtual ward, including consultant input, pharmacist reviews and daily ward rounds. This proactive approach enabled the patient to remain at home and receive appropriate treatment without a hospital admission.

Dr Fiona Lemmens, Executive Clinical Director at NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, said:

The expansion of virtual wards forms part of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside’s wider work to provide more care closer to home in line with the 10 Year Health Plan for England, while also helping to reduce avoidable hospital admissions and support the effective use of NHS services.