Launched in November 2023, the service has saved 2,915 hospital bed days and achieved efficiency savings of £1.13 million in its first 12 months, building significantly on its early success when it helped 176 patients in its first six months. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is one of the largest and busiest acute teaching hospital trusts in the country, with 2,050 beds and 94,000 inpatient admissions annually.
The service has expanded from its initial six pathways to now cover 14 different specialties, including cardiology, emergency surgery, vascular and oncology, with more in development, such as urology and heart failure. Patients or their caregivers take regular measurements such as blood pressure, respiration rate and oxygen saturation, securely transmitting readings to care teams via Inhealthcare’s digitally inclusive communication channels.
Lead consultant Dr Muzahir Tayebjee said: “What makes Leeds’ approach unique is our model of care. Operating within one of the country’s largest teaching hospitals, we’ve developed a scalable system where specially trained nurses work across multiple specialties, supported by remote monitoring technology. This means we can help more patients while maintaining the highest standards of care.
“While virtual wards won’t solve all our capacity challenges, they’re making a remarkable difference. In our cardiac valve pathway, patients who would previously have been stuck in hospital waiting for investigations can now be at home with their families. They maintain their priority status for treatment while avoiding the risks of lengthy hospital stays. One of my colleagues recently observed that by freeing up beds more quickly for critically ill patients, this service could potentially help save lives.”
The trust has established a specialist nursing team working with lead clinicians to ensure safe care delivery. Alessia D’Angelo, senior sister for remote monitoring virtual wards, said: “The technology helps our nursing teams deliver safe, effective care while giving patients confidence to recover at home. Our nurses can monitor vital signs remotely and respond quickly if needed, while patients feel reassured knowing they’re being closely watched over without having to stay in hospital.”
Patient Adam Etherington, 31, from Leeds, was admitted to a virtual ward at Leeds after emergency appendix surgery and subsequent complications. He said: “The Inhealthcare system helped me recover while being close to my two young children. The monitoring equipment was reliable and staff were very responsive. Being able to input my symptoms through the app helped catch problems early. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone – you get the benefits of being at home while maintaining the safety of hospital care.”
Bryn Sage, chief executive of Inhealthcare, said: “Our technology aims to reduce length of stay and ease pressure on hospital beds and emergency departments. The first-year results demonstrate the significant impact this partnership is having on patient care and NHS resources.”
The success in Leeds is part of a wider rollout of Inhealthcare’s virtual ward technology across West Yorkshire, supporting the delivery of safe and convenient care to people who would otherwise be in hospital.