Quality standard

Quality statement 5: Multidisciplinary team

Quality statement 5: Multidisciplinary team

Quality statement

Adults admitted to an acute respiratory infection virtual ward are cared for by a multidisciplinary team that has access to speciality advice and diagnostics and is led by a named consultant practitioner or GP with suitable expertise.

Rationale

Having a multidisciplinary team with access to expertise in managing the medical conditions on an acute respiratory infection virtual ward means there can be equitable access to speciality advice and diagnostics as there would be in hospital. Designating a named consultant practitioner (including a nurse or an allied health professional consultant) or GP with suitable expertise to lead the team, with clear lines of clinical responsibility and governance, supports coordination of expertise and continuity of care. Informing the person admitted to the virtual ward, and their family and carers, who is responsible for their care and treatment will provide reassurance and promote confidence that the service will meet their needs.

Quality measures

The following measures can be used to assess the quality of care or service provision specified in the statement. They are examples of how the statement can be measured, and can be adapted and used flexibly.

Structure

a) Evidence of local arrangements to ensure that a multidisciplinary team is responsible for providing care on an acute respiratory infection virtual ward.

Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example, from local service agreements.

b) Evidence that the acute respiratory infection virtual ward multidisciplinary team has access to speciality advice and diagnostics.

Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example, from service protocols and escalation procedures.

c) Evidence that a named consultant practitioner or GP with suitable expertise leads the acute respiratory infection virtual ward multidisciplinary team.

Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example, from service governance and accountability structures.

Outcome

Proportion of adults admitted to an acute respiratory infection virtual ward who had confidence and trust in the virtual ward team.

Numerator – the number in the denominator who had confidence and trust in the virtual ward team.

Denominator – the number of adults admitted to an acute respiratory virtual ward.

Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example, from patient surveys.

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers (virtual ward providers) ensure that care on an acute respiratory infection virtual ward is provided by a multidisciplinary team that has access to speciality advice and diagnostics and is led by a named consultant practitioner or GP, with relevant experience or training. They ensure that rotas and systems are in place for staff with expertise to be available to give advice when needed.

Healthcare professionals (such as doctors, GPs, nurse practitioners, advanced clinical practitioners, nurses, pharmacists and care navigators) work as part of a multidisciplinary team to provide care for adults admitted to an acute respiratory infection virtual ward. They ask for input from the virtual ward named consultant practitioner or GP, when expertise is needed.

Commissioners ensure that acute respiratory infection virtual wards have a multidisciplinary team that has access to speciality advice and diagnostics and is led by a named consultant practitioner or GP, with relevant experience or training.

Adults admitted to an acute respiratory infection virtual ward are cared for by a team of healthcare professionals who have access to specialist advice, if needed. They know the name of the consultant or GP who leads the team.

Definitions of terms used in this quality statement

Acute respiratory infection virtual ward

These support personalised care for people with confirmed or suspected acute respiratory infections, including COVID‑19 and non-infective chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations, who are stable or improving but require acute level care and choose to be cared for at home. They do this by providing an alternative to a hospital admission and/or safe to support early discharge from hospital for people who require ongoing hospital monitoring and treatment. They require a combination of face-to-face care and digital technology in the place a person calls home, including care homes. [Adapted from NHS England's guidance note on virtual ward care for people with acute respiratory infection including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, introduction section]