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UK - NIHR Call for research on Virtual Wards, 2025

Discussion in 'Other health news and research' started by Kiristar, Apr 30, 2025 at 3:32 PM.

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  1. Kiristar

    Kiristar Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Someone flagged it up to me that there is this call opening soon for research into virtual wards, which feels very relevant to potential ways forward on care for severe and very severe.

    https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/hosp...ervice-delivery-and-evaluating-impact/2025317

    Is there a way to mobilise a proposal around this in the wake of the PFD report? Does anybody know a researcher or medical (not psych of course) team with suitable credentials and interest? What would people find helpful out of such a service?

    I understand the NIHR is more receptive to ME/CFS research than the MRC and of course the Government DP is in the closing stages so with a higher profile such a proposal would hopefully have a decent chance?

    But I know just developing and making these applications is a very big undertaking in its own right ....

    Call wording ....
    "The Health and Social Care Delivery Research (HSDR) Programme is interested in funding research on hospital at home (also known as virtual wards) acute care services for adults or children and young people. This funding opportunity covers optimising service design, improving service equity and delivery, evaluating the impact on health and social care, and innovations in service integration.

    We expect this funding opportunity to open on Tuesday 6 May 2025 and to close on Tuesday 5 August 2025, however, these timings may be subject to change."
     
    Last edited: Apr 30, 2025 at 4:49 PM
    Kiristar, Apr 30, 2025 at 3:32 PM
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  2. Hutan

    Hutan Moderator Staff Member

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    That's a really great idea @Kiristar.

    If the bedrooms of people with very severe ME/CFS were recognised as virtual wards, that might bring a lot of benefits, not least a recognition of the severity of the condition and the crucial contribution of family carers.

    A relative of mine was put on a Hospital in the Home scheme. It did seem like a good idea. Of course it is removing patients from the hospital to free up space, but that can be a win-win, when hospitals have multiple patients parked up in corridors and the tv lounges (as they were when my relative was put on the scheme), and when infectious diseases are circulating. We got a daily call from a nurse to check things were okay, but there was also ready access to a doctor if required, and readmission to a real ward would not have required going through the excruciating and very long Emergency Department evaluation.

    I think the idea has real potential for severe and very severe ME/CFS patients. If you had a small group of smart nurses dedicated to ME/CFS patients making the calls, and connected to a few relevant specialists and some specialised respite carers, I think that they would soon become very useful.
     
    Hutan, Apr 30, 2025 at 10:36 PM
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  3. Utsikt

    Utsikt Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    As with any proposal, I afraid of the risks if the system falls into the hands of people that either don’t want to understand or are unable to understand the realities of ME/CFS.

    But it’s certainly an idea with a large potential upside, if it can be done well.
     
    Utsikt, Apr 30, 2025 at 10:42 PM
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  4. NelliePledge

    NelliePledge Moderator Staff Member

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    Maybe you could contact 25% Group, Helen Baxter to see if they are aware @Kiristar
     
    NelliePledge, Apr 30, 2025 at 10:45 PM
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  5. Sasha

    Sasha Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Maybe this could be the physician-led clinic we want, in effect?
     
    Sasha, Apr 30, 2025 at 10:57 PM
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  6. Hutan

    Hutan Moderator Staff Member

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    Possibly Caroline Kingdon could pull a research team together? Perhaps Sarah Boothby or other people with experience of caring for people with severe ME/CFS could be a carer representative? Perhaps a member of @PhysiosforME could be part of the team to advise on avoidance of the consequences of immobility? Nigel Speight?

    Could someone contact Caroline to let her know about this? @Jonathan Edwards?
     
    Last edited: Apr 30, 2025 at 11:21 PM
    Hutan, Apr 30, 2025 at 11:03 PM
    #6
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  7. Hutan

    Hutan Moderator Staff Member

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    I think the idea has real potential; it's something that we could call for in my country and perhaps have a chance of achieving, especially given that the Hospital in the Home and telehealth are already established and govt supported concepts. I'm not sure where we would find suitable staff though - perhaps there are health professionals who have ME/CFS or who are carers of people with ME/CFS that it would suit.

    Flagging this to @Deanne NZ, @SNT Gatchaman, @Ravn, @Maddiexxx, @Kiwipom
     
    Hutan, Apr 30, 2025 at 11:20 PM
    #7
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