The new NHSGGC Virtual Hospital will provide safe, high-quality care to patients at home, reducing hospital stays and allowing patients to be cared for from the comfort of their own homes. The Virtual Hospital will contain many specialist virtual wards ranging from patients being remotely monitored while waiting on diagnostic tests to patients receiving specialist care and treatment within their own home.
FNC+ and the Virtual Hospital represent a significant shift in how urgent and unscheduled care is delivered. With a target of 1,000 virtual beds by July 2026, these models aim to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions, improve patient flow, and enhance care closer to home.
Work has commenced to define the model of medication supply to virtual beds. Patients discharged from an acute site will receive sufficient supply of their medication from the hospital pharmacy to cover their time within the virtual hospital.
It is proposed that any additional medication required whilst in the virtual ward would best be supplied using the Community Pharmacy network as the preferred model. Community Pharmacies are often the first point of contact for medicines support, underpinning the vital role they play in the safe and reliable access to medicines. The SLA for ‘Community Pharmacy Supply for Patients in Virtual Wards’ aims to support the care of patients close to home, utilising established models of medicines supply in the community.
- SLA Virtual Wards v1 (March 2026)
- Virtual Wards PGD v2 – exp Mar 2028
- Virtual Ward PGD v2 – Signing Sheet & Audit Form
- PGD Unscheduled Care v32 – exp Oct 2027
- PGD v2.2 Medicines A-Z Look-up List (April 2026)
Responsible Person: Michelle Cooper
Last Updated: 21/08/26