Background Virtual wards offer patients renewed opportunities to receive healthcare in the comfort/safety of their own homes (Best. BMJ. 2022;378:1603). They offer alternatives to secondary care and can bridge the gap between demand and capacity for beds (Norman, Bennett, Vardy. Age Ageing. 2023;52(1):afac319). This can also be applied to the hospice setting. Acute admissions to hospital increase in the last year of life (Marie Curie. Emergency hospital admissions. [internet] 2023). The majority of patients would prefer to die at home but complex needs and available care options often restrict this (Nuffield Trust. End of life care. 2023). The project is a collaborative approach between Trinity Hospice and Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

Aims To allow a safe alternative to hospital or hospice for patients who require palliative or end of life care through community-based acute health care delivery. Utilising existing services to provide increased specialist advice and guidance – bringing hospice level care direct to the patient.

Methods Caseload of 10 patients. All patients discussed at morning MDT which is led by the clinical lead (Advanced Practitioner) and includes community partners such as Marie Curie. Contact is planned dependent on patient need. Additional support from Marie Curie for night sits can be prioritised by linking in at the MDT with their local clinical manager. Senior clinical oversight is provided by the community consultant. Medics, advanced practitioners, nurse specialists and health care assistants deliver clinical contacts dependent on patient need.

Results 242 patients supported on the virtual ward in the first year.

112 (45.3%) passed away whilst on the virtual ward.

71 (28.7%) admitted to hospice.

3 (1.2%) admitted to acute hospital (all clinically appropriate).

Conclusions Allowed us to care for patients with more complex needs at home. Helped to prevent crisis situations where acute admission likely. Fill domiciliary care gap on short term basis. Increased collaborative working with local community and acute partners.