Virtual Wards Programme – A success story

Virtual wards are part of the National Virtual Care Programme funded under government’s #DigitalForCare2030 strategy. As the programme prepares to scale across the regions, we are highlighting the positive patient experiences and the dedicated staff making virtual wards a shining example of innovation, technology and expertise coming together to make our healthcare system more efficient and safer.

The journey

Virtual wards pilot sites were initially launched in June 2024, at St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin (SVUH) and University Hospital Limerick (UHL), each with 25 virtual beds. As of the end of 2025, over 1,500 patients had been admitted to these wards, equating to more than 13,800 virtual bed days. Following their success, these sites have since scaled significantly to a 40-bed capacity.

The programme itself has also expanded, with a virtual ward site now operational in each of the six health regions. The new virtual wards are in Our Lady of Lourdes Drogheda, Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore, Mercy Hospital Cork, and St Luke's General Hospital, Carlow Kilkenny. Galway University Hospital has also recently commenced admitting patients to its new virtual ward.

Overall, since the launch of the Virtual Ward programme 3,000 patients have been safely supported either in a home enviroment or home setting, freeing more than 25,000 physical bed days for patients who require more traditional care. This means that 5,320 patients have benefitted; those patients using the virtual ward and those patients who had a shorter wait for admittance to an in-hospital bed.

What is a virtual ward?

A virtual ward is an alternative to HSE bedded care, giving patients requiring hospital-level care, the option of receiving this care, in their own home. Technology is used to provide the same level of care, monitoring and treatment to patients, as if they were in hospital, all from the comfort and convenience of their home environment.

Virtual wards offer an alternative to hospital admission at an emergency department (ED) or can facilitate an earlier discharge from a hospital ward for medical and surgical patients.

A key objective of the Virtual Ward programme is to increase capacity for acute admissions and reduce the numbers of patients waiting on trolleys, by moving care to the home in a coordinated and integrated way. It is designed to support the ambitions of Sláintecare to bring care closer to home and to improve patient outcomes, expand capacity, increase efficiency and productivity, and reduce costs.

Benefits of virtual wards

Virtual wards give patients more choice over where to receive care and feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. 98% of patients said they felt safe under virtual ward care and 96% of patients said they prefer the virtual ward to an inpatient hospital stay.

Outcomes for patients in virtual wards have been shown to be equivalent to those of in-hospital patients. 94% of patients said they received satisfactory clinical information regarding their care and 92% felt in control of their own health on the virtual ward.

Patients in virtual wards benefit from more independence, a higher quality of life, reduced risk of hospital acquired infections, and from being in a familiar environment, where friends, family and pets may be close.

The Virtual Ward model also offers significant benefits to staff with high levels of satisfaction being reported in pilot sites. The model creates more opportunities for meaningful one-to-one patient communication and care, while also enabling staff to expand their skill sets.

Virtual wards improve resource and bed management and patient flow; increasing bed capacity across hospital settings and ensuring that beds are available for patients who require more traditional care.

Future plans

The Virtual Ward system in Ireland is scaling in size and expanding clinical pathways to provide for maximum bed capacity. Overall virtual wards are a significant shift in healthcare delivery and have demonstrated a clear positive impact on patients, staff, and systemic pressures.

They are supporting the development of innovative models of care, which compliment traditional hospital services, enhancing flexibility, while maintaining high-quality patient care. This aligns with the strategic direction of the Department of Health and the HSE, as well as the principles of the Sláintecare and the HSE’s Digital for Care 2030 roadmap.

More information is available on the HSE Virtual wards website.