Virtual Ward-Remote Monitoring v1

Virtual Ward: Remote Monitoring

Patient Information

Urgent Care Services

• Author ID: AC

• Leaflet Ref: UCS 001

• Version: 2

• Leaflet title: Virtual Ward: Remote Monitoring

• Date Produced: February 2025

• Expiry Date: February 2027

 

Welcome to Wrightington, Wigan & Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Virtual Ward

Service hours are 8am till 8pm, with local community urgent care wrap-around services, supporting care in the home. Once you agree to be monitored at home, the virtual ward team will show you / help you set up your kit.

 

Remote monitoring is easy to use in your own home. From 8am – 7.30pm, you can contact the team via phone. 

 

We monitor your vital signs such as oxygen levels, heart rate and blood pressure.  If we need to contact you, it will be via telephone or video call using the tablet provided.  If you feel unwell between the hours of 7.30pm and 8am, please seek medical attention via 111/999/A&E.

 

The remote monitoring kit is used by your care team to help keep you safe at home whilst you are under the care of the virtual ward. Your care team can monitor your health and recovery, and if required, request additional support from your doctor. 

 

We work closely with our community urgent care wrap-around services, who provide the option for a clinical review if needed, meaning we can visit you at your home to assess your clinical condition. 

 

We also work closely with SDEC and CAU at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary. If you need access to a specialist consultant / outpatient review, or further investigation, we can arrange this for you.

 

If there are problems with your kit, please contact Doccla Support between 8am to 9pm on 0808 175 0832 (freephone), who will troubleshoot with the you to identify and rectify the issue remotely.

What is the Current Health Kit?

 

	Kit Box
	Wearable device.
	Blood pressure cuff.
	Pulsoximeter.
	Tablet.
	Depending on your clinical requirements and the level of monitoring you require, you may only receive components of the example kit above, or you may have additional kit such as below:
	6. Weighing Scales
	7. Kardia ECG monitor.
	8. Peak Flow Meter.

Daily Use of the Device

The tablet needs to be charged for 2 hours once every day.

The Corsano CardioWatch is a wearable medical bracelet designed for monitoring of your vital signs.  It is a sleek, lightweight bracelet designed to be worn comfortably on your wrist. It needs charging fully prior to use and has a battery life of up to a week.

The Corsano CardioWatch needs to be charged every 6 days for 2-3 hours.

When placing the wearable device on your arm, please try to avoid the following areas:

• Broken or irritated skin.
• Tattoos or areas of varying skin colour.
• Sunburn or inflamed skin.
• Do not apply to the same side of the body as an upper-body operation e.g., mastectomy.

The wearable device must be removed when you shower or while bathing, as it is water-resistant but not waterproof, and submerging it can damage the device.

If a rash appears, or if your arm feels very cold, painful, or if it changes colour - remove the device and contact the virtual ward team within the hours of 8am – 7.30pm, or outside of these hours, call NHS 111.

Remove the device for any outpatient investigations, such as X-ray/ MRI / CT scans, where there may be a strong magnetic field.

The device is designed for adult use only and should not be used on children.

Please note: It is recommended that the tablet is kept close to the wearable device to allow consistent and accurate readings. Please also keep your tablet close by at night when going to bed, as this will allow readings to be submitted overnight.

Raising Concerns

Contact the Virtual Hub Team on 0300 707 1828 from 8am – 7.30pm 7 days/week including bank holidays (or NHS 111 from 7.30pm – 8am), if you have concerns about:

• Feeling breathless or have difficulty breathing, especially when standing up or moving.
•  
• Severe muscle aches or tiredness.
•  
• Sudden oedema (swelling) on both legs, or one leg or calf swelling.
•  
• Shakes or shivers.

During your admission onto the virtual ward, your doctor has decided that your monitor readings should be between:

• Heart Rate …………………………………………….
• Blood Pressure ……………………………………….
• Oxygen Saturation ……………………………………
• Temperature …………………………………………..
• Weight …………………………………………………
• Peak Flow ……………………………………………..

During the hours of 8am and 7.30pm, if you find that your readings are outside of this range, please contact the virtual ward team on 0300 707 1828.  Outside of these hours, please contact 111, 999, or attend A&E.

Whilst we monitor you at home, if you experience one or more of the symptoms below, please call 999 or attend your nearest A&E department:

• If you are unable to complete short sentences when at rest due to breathlessness. 
• If your breathing suddenly worsens within an hour. (For example, if you suffer from COPD or asthma, and your breathing doesn’t improve following your prescribed inhaler or nebuliser).
• If you are coughing up blood.
• If you have severe chest pain.
• If you feel cold and sweaty with pale or blotchy skin.
• If you develop a rash that does not fade when you roll a drinking glass over it.
• If you feel faint or at risk of fainting.
• If you become agitated, confused or very drowsy.
• You have stopped passing urine or passing much less than usual.

If admitted to hospital, remove the wearable device, and leave it in your house with the rest of the kit, or give it to a friend or relative to return to the Virtual Hub Team (Please DO NOT take it into hospital with you, as it will not work there and may be lost).

WWL Virtual Hub Service Contact Details

Service Hours 8.00am until 8.00pm 7 days a week, including bank holidays.

Telephone: 0300 707 1828

Email    wwl-tr.virtualward@nhs.net 
Website: www.wwl.nhs.uk