The care of hospital, the comfort of home: new campaign in Greater Manchester highlights benefits of hospital care at home service

Hospital at Home, which includes virtual wards or other technology-enabled care at home, brings together nurses, doctors and other health professionals to deliver hospital care in a patient’s own home. A new campaign has launched in Greater Manchester to highlight the benefits of this service.

The care of hospital, the comfort of home

By combining the latest health technology with the specialist knowledge of doctors and nurses working in the Greater Manchester health and care system, patients on the Hospital at Home service can receive better care, in the familiarity and comfort of their own home.

A new campaign launched in Greater Manchester gives a simple overview of the Hospital at Home service, and provides clear information and resources for patients, families, carers and staff around how the service works.

An innovative way of working to benefit the NHS

The Hospital at Home service is not only better for patients; there are also benefits for NHS staff and the wider heath and care system. Delivering a high standard of care in a different way can reduce pressure on the health and care system and can help free up much-needed bed space in hospitals.

Health Innovation Manchester is working with health and care partners across Greater Manchester to harness digital opportunities and develop safe, improved models of care. By developing a service that benefits patients, staff and the wider health system, the Hospital at Home service will become a sustainable service across Greater Manchester.

The Hospital at Home service is currently being used to support patients with certain respiratory conditions, those living with frailty, and other areas where use of technology can enhance patient care.

Tania, a virtual wards patient in 2022, received hospital care in her own home in Salford. She said, “If someone asked me whether they should use this service, I would say ‘go ahead’. You don’t have to wait for visits, you don’t have to wait for a doctor. There’s no anxiety; it is very calming; you’re familiar with everything around you. Being able to use my own shower, wash my hair in my own bathroom, it just made such a difference – it all contributes to you getting better.”

Joanne Edwards, Virtual Wards Team Leader at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said, “This service is very patient-centred. When you call the patient, you can actually see they’re so much better and happier, you can hear it in their voices. They also tell you so much more when they’re at home – there’s more privacy.”

Karl Guttormsen, Interim Virtual Ward Lead at North Manchester General Hospital, said: “I think the benefits for the patient far outweigh the gains for us as a health service, and the gains are huge there too. It is reduced bed days, reduced hospital acquired infections and admission avoidance, but more than all that, it is much, much better for the patient.

Hospital at Home in Greater Manchester

Visit gmhospitalathome.co.uk for information and resources on the Hospital at Home service in Greater Manchester, including:

  • What is Hospital at Home? Watch a short animation about this service.
  • What does Hospital at Home look like? Read a ‘What to Expect’ guide for patients, families and carers.
  • What do other people think? Hear from Hospital at Home staff and patients who have shared their experiences of Hospital at Home and virtual wards in Greater Manchester.

Resources are also available for healthcare professionals, including a variety of resources that staff can download and use within their teams: Click here for healthcare professional resources.

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