Articles

It felt right to be with friends and colleagues from across health tech and the NHS at Digital Health Rewired in Birmingham recently. Despite considerable change ahead, people were remarkably upbeat and keen to ensure that tech advances play key roles in the challenges faced by the NHS. 

Some highpoints for me? 

Rachel Hope reminded us that prevention has been discussed since the inception of the NHS in 1948 however we now have new tools that we can use to support prevention that were not previously available

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20 March 2025

 Greater Manchester operates the largest virtual ward in the country, with over 600 people being cared for at home on the latest snapshot day in January 2025. Contributing to an all time record of 10,162 people cared for in this way across the NHS in England that month. 

It was great to visit the impressive cardiology Hospital at Home service at Salford Royal, that is part of this achievement to shift from hospital to home, analogue to digital, treament to prevention, and hear from the clinical team running it what a difference it is 

making to their patients. 

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3 March 2025

Time certainly seems to fly when you are having fun and it is now two years ago that Digital Care began. It has been a fascinating journey and we have been privileged to work with some of the leading NHS, public sector and private sector colleagues in the country, 

and increasingly, beyond. 

We share in this blog what we have been up to over the past year 

and some of our highlights. Here's to a happy birthday and just as interesting year ahead!

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28 February 2025

The French Government have brought in pioneering legislation in support of digital home care across their health care system. A visit to Nantes to find out more and share the UK experience. 

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4 October 2024

A visit to Vancouver to meet a range of health leaders from 12 countries provides a chance to catch up with some innovative uses of digital home care in Canada. 

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23 September 2024

 With a "back to school" feeling at the start of September, it feels a suitable moment to reflect on what the team at Digital Care have been engaged in over recent months. 

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2 September 2024

Article in Public Sector Focus magazine.

I cover the rise in virtual ward beds in the UK, how this is part of a global movement where hospital-at-home is increasing, that the model much loved by patients, particularly the elderly, and that it is encouraging to see it move beyond acute provision into proactive care of those at greatest risk of hospital admission 

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30 August 2024

How identifying those that could benefit most and providing them with remote monitoring tech, we can reduce emergency admissions in those with severe COPD.

A new fund announced for Winter 24/25 by NHS England can provide an important contribution to proactive care programmes, and these are top tips in setting up such a scheme.

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29 July 2024

Over 9,000 people were cared for in Virtual Wards in June 2024, an all time record. 

This blog provides more info on the current picture of Virtual Wards in England using data published by the national team.

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29 July 2024

The Health Foundation hosted an excellent event on AI in the NHS recently, with Health Minister Karin Smith joining to give her first speech in the role.  

Here's my take on some of the key messages. 

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19 July 2024

 Webinar recording now out on "Using remote monitoring for long term condition management - the Bristol Story" - how supporting people with severe COPD is dramatically reducing hospitalisation rates.

Keeping people well at home with simple, intuitive technology and clinical supervision, rather than enduring countless hospital stays. 

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16 July 2024

Ireland has embarked on an ambitious virtual ward programme, aiming to reach all significant clinical settings over 18 months. The first hospitals are in Limerick and Dublin and given my Irish heritage and passion for this model of care, this is an exciting moment indeed, particularly given one of my clients Doccla has been awarded the tech partner for the whole programme. 

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12 July 2024

How AI is changing the way we deliver healthcare in the UK. Tara explores how AI can bring improvements in the quality and outcomes of healthcare, from AI surgical assistants to better preventative medicine and remote monitoring reach. 

Article published in the summer edition of Centre Write Magazine, page 33.

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June 2024

 Blog about an amazing day with the teams working across the Royal London Hospital, doing terrific work to keep babies, children and adults at home as far as possible thanks to tech enablement and virtual wards. 

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10 June 2024

With new announcements from NHS England on expanding virtual ward capacity and services to support urgent care, hot on the heels of the publication of the largest study of the impact of virtual wards - it is a great time to be bolder about plans for the future. 

Article published in Digital Health Magazine - click on image above to view 

24 May 2024

A terrific visit to the Virtual Ward at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, showing the CEO of Te Whata Ora | Health New Zealand, Margie Apa how these work in the NHS. 

Many thanks to the team for taking us through these services - it is clearly a very impressive set up. 

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 21 May 2024

Reflections from Riyadh - and the largest telehealth and virtual care expo in the Middle East.

Covering our panel session on remote monitoring and virtual wards, with perspectives from the UK, Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

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 13 May 2024

It was great to meet the team delivering this clearly well-loved service in Herne Bay recently. 

Alongside remote monitoring tech they are using home based point of care labs and ultrasound as they innovate to provide hospital level care in the comfort of peoples' own homes. Service run by East Kent Community NHS Trust. 

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 29 April 2024

I'm really proud of the Living Well with COPD service we've set up with the team at Bristol and it's been a fantastic collaboration. 

One aspect provided is Health Coaching for those living with severe COPD and here is more about that brilliant team at Doccla and what they do to help people stay well at home for longer. 

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 23 April 2024

 There is huge scope to extend the reach and impact of virtual wards and remote monitoring. In virtual wards, the NHS leads Europe but must act now if it is not to be overtaken by France, Germany and Denmark the use of remote monitoring for long term conditions. 

Article published in Digital Health Magazine.

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 17 April 2024

 Denmark believes this model makes economic sense as well as being much preferred by patients. I think it would be great for the UK to do the same - with huge benefits all round - to the NHS and patients alike. 

Episode two in a short series focusing on new ways of managing COPD. 

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 15 April 2024

 The first in a two-part series on virtual wards for Digital Health Magazine.
Outlining the excellent progress on virtual wards across the NHS in England but highlighting that there there is more to do on tech enablement. 

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11 April 2024
 

Reflections from the Digital Health Rewired conference, on virtual wards and the huge opportunity of supporting those with COPD with home monitoring. 

Episode one in a short series focusing on new ways of 

managing COPD. 

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15 March 2024

It has been a year since I set up Digital Care and it has been a year of firsts, some of which are outlined in this blog.

With a shout out to the amazing clients we have worked with in year one and the phenomenal team.  

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1 March 2024

 Have you seen NHS Emeritus, this new way for retired and semi-retired consultants to work flexibly to see outpatients? 

What if we could do the same linking nurses and other staff to roles in virtual wards?

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21 Feb 2024

One of the best parts of my job is spending time in the frontline. 

This is an account of my visit to the impressive virtual ward service in Oldham, Greater Manchester, led by Professor 

Emma Vardy and supported by Doccla. Part of the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust. 

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9 Feb 2024

Article highlighting the evidence on costs and cost effectiveness of virtual wards was reprinted in this Australian Health publication: Health Services Daily.

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This version is on an open link so accessible without a LinkedIn account.

2 Feb 2024

Review of recent trip to Paris visiting the PariSante Campus and attending the Future of People-Centred Health Innovation - a high-level policy forum involving health ministers and leaders from across the 37 members of the OECD.

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1 Feb 2024

Article highlighting the evidence on costs and cost effectiveness of virtual wards.

For more on the evidence base for virtual wards and remote monitoring see the Resources page of this website. 

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29 Jan 2024

Last year, France became the first European country to reimburse remote monitoring for all eligible patients, an exciting development. 

This week I visited Paris to meet colleagues and find out more about how this is affecting healthcare & what we can learn from their approach in the UK.  

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24 Jan 2024

Article published in The Future Health newsletter on a number of overlooked advancements in the NHS, contributing to more care at, and closer to, home. 

Expansion of virtual wards, social prescribing, more care in pharmacies and new staff in primary care. Thanks to Kevin McDonnell for the invitation.

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22 Jan 2024

Interview with SIH Solutions, the French magazine on innovation in e-health, on the NHS’ journey into digital home care with Melanie Foissey. 

The article is in French, for an English translation see “Translations” section below. 

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20 Dec 2023

About the amazing NHS and Care Volunteer Responders and how they can provide support at home to people on virtual wards.

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1 Dec 2023

Interview in the Health Foundation's newsletter on what the future of healthcare may look like. 

Photo credit: Emile Holba

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28 Nov 2023

Article in the HSJ from Professor Natasha Phillips, Digital Care consultant, on why virtual wards matter. With insights from a professional and a personal perspective. 

Sponsored by: Doccla

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21 Nov 2023

Reflections from Breid O'Brien, Digital Care Consultant, on virtual care following a period of travel. Covering progress, evaluation, real world stories, quintuple aim and more. 

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13 November 2023

Article in HSJ on revolutionising long-term condition management in the NHS with remote monitoring.

Includes examples from a range of NHS sites doing just that as well as encouragement to use recently announced funding to support this expansion in digital home care. 

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Sponsored by: Doccla 

13 October 2023

Announcing an expansion of our partnership with Doccla, the Virtual Ward company, as in addition to Tara & Jenny we are pleased that Professor Natasha Phillips has also come on board. 

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28 Sept 2023

Contributed to this article in Health Tech World. "AI, used in conjunction with remote monitoring, could review vital sign information [...] Using this data the AI can act as a clinical co-pilot to the team, prioritising those most in need"

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22 Sept 2023

Article in Health Spaces - "NHS Departments are having to think and plan creatively and to provide extra capacity for surges in demand, learning the lessons from previous winters, adapting existing space and creating new spaces where needed." 

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21 Sept 2023

Article in the Integrated Care Journal on the increasing recognition that digital solutions could help alleviate winter pressures with examples from Herts Community NHS Trust, Northampton General Hospital and Bristol ICB, BNSSG & its Trusts. 

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Sponsored by Doccla  

20 Sept 2023.

Article on three large public surveys this summer demonstrating the demand for digital home care. Including 78% surveyed saying they'd be happy to use home health monitoring if their NHS professional recommended it, rising to 89% of over 75s.

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12 Sept 2023

Article in FORTIS magazine for NHS leaders "what I'd love to see now is us using remote monitoring to "winter proof" people". Pages 27-30.

To subscribe and get hard copy or digital versions of FORTIS quarterly, register at www.health-spaces.com

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Launch issue Sept 2023

There are many ways in which digital home care can help improve urgent and emergency care and this aims to connect common NHS challenges with solutions. 

A quick 3 minute read. 

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Sept 2023

Article on the NHS reaching its target of 10,000 virtual ward beds & Hertfordshire Community Trust celebrating its 1,000th virtual ward patient. 

Featuring Edna Webber, 90, who says "the service has been excellent. It's so much better for me to be at home - I can have what I like to eat, a nice cup of tea and good night's sleep in my own bed. I felt like I made a quicker recovery because I was at home."

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30 October 2023