The role of digital technology in the delivery of patient care was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic when remote triage and consultations became part of everyday practice in healthcare settings. Yet despite growing evidence that a digitally literate nursing workforce can support and enhance patient safety and outcomes, many nurses report a reluctance to engage in the use of digital technology.
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Findings Several barriers and facilitators to the use of digital technology were identified, including around infrastructure, time, skills, training, support, leadership, familiarity and confidence. The use of digital technology may enhance care consistency and increase patient autonomy, but it may also erode nurse-patient relationships.
Conclusion Digital technology can enhance patient care but organisational barriers, notably in relation to digital literacy training, need to be addressed for nurses to fully adopt it.
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Virtual wards are increasingly being used by the NHS to provide care to patients where they live, whether in a care setting or at home. The NHS has been set a target of 40–50 virtual wards per 100,000 people and, more immediately, to scale up capacity ahead of next winter, to above 10,000 beds by this autumn. This report sets out the critical factors needed to enable the NHS to succeed in achieving these targets and to make virtual wards a sustainable model in the longer term, where patient demand and satisfaction are met, as well as better productivity.