Our digital journey praised by senior NHS officials

Our progress on digital modernisation has been recognised by the national team following an update to senior officials including NHS England’s Chief Nurse Ruth May and Chief Digital Officer Tara Donnelly.

The key focus of the meeting was to hear about the highly successful Virtual Ward and more about our digital journey, with a focus on the digital nursing journey to date.

Emily Wells, Chief Nursing Information Officer, said:  “We’re making great strides in modernising our services across Norfolk and Waveney and embracing digital services with the advantages they bring to patients and colleagues.

“Even though we started behind other health systems in terms of digital maturity, our Virtual Ward is performing exceptionally well with fantastic patient feedback.”

The Virtual Ward enables patients to remain fully under our care while recovering at home. They’re constantly monitored via a small, easily-rechargeable device strapped to their arm and can receive treatments such as oxygen and IV drugs. If necessary, they will visit hospital for treatments.

Patients are contacted via daily phone or video calls – virtual ward rounds – and given advice and support including remote temperature, pulse, blood pressure and oxygen saturation levels.

If patients have questions, concerns or simply need reassurance, they have a number to call the Virtual Ward Nursing team, and patients can receive urgent support 24/7 by pressing an alert button on a tablet.