Posted on behalf of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICS
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICS are looking for people to join the Virtual Wards programme.
What are virtual wards?
Virtual wards allow patients to get the care they need at home safely and conveniently, rather than being in hospital. Virtual Wards is nationally mandated but the local health system is one of the first to implement it, building on the success of the existing Community Rapid Intervention Service (CRIS).
They aim to deliver “hospital equivalent” care to patients with acute or sub-acute illness in their own home, and there are many reasons why this is better for patients:
- a reduction in deconditioning
- greater autonomy
- access to visitors and meals whenever they want them
Examples of support can include remote monitoring using apps, technology platforms, wearables and medical devices such as pulse oximeters to measure blood oxygen levels. Support may also involve face-to-face care from multi-disciplinary teams based in the community, which is sometimes called Hospital at Home.
To help with better understanding, Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICS have produced this great three minute video, which you can watch below and a 10 minute podcast about Virtual Wards. These are aimed at helping you develop an understanding of what these are trying to achieve and how you could get involved.
How can you help?
Recruitment has begun for a range of posts to staff virtual wards, to work from three hubs in the north, south and east of the area.
The aim is to recruit around 100 staff with a range of skills to care for approximately 450 Virtual Ward patients at any time. Virtual Ward staff are supported by hospital-based consultants.
Roles:
- Virtual Ward Health Care Support Worker
- Virtual Ward Modern Matron
- Virtual Ward Nursing Associate
Posts range from Band 3 to Band 8.
A range of flexible working options are offered and this can be tailored this to the personal needs of staff as much as possible.
To apply or find out more details, visit https://bit.ly/SSOT-virtual-wards