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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many virtual wards there are in the NHS across England.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many virtual wards there are in the NHS across England.
In October 2025, there were 12,588 virtual ward beds across England, with 10,049 being occupied by patients.
Whilst there is currently no specific national target for the number of virtual ward beds, the NHS England 2025/26 operational planning guidance includes a priority to improve access to care services at home or in the community, including virtual wards.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether there is a target for the number of virtual wards in the NHS across England.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether there is a target for the number of virtual wards in the NHS across England.
In October 2025, there were 12,588 virtual ward beds across England, with 10,049 being occupied by patients.
Whilst there is currently no specific national target for the number of virtual ward beds, the NHS England 2025/26 operational planning guidance includes a priority to improve access to care services at home or in the community, including virtual wards.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the target number of virtual wards is in the NHS across England.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the target number of virtual wards is in the NHS across England.
In October 2025, there were 12,588 virtual ward beds across England, with 10,049 being occupied by patients.
Whilst there is currently no specific national target for the number of virtual ward beds, the NHS England 2025/26 operational planning guidance includes a priority to improve access to care services at home or in the community, including virtual wards.
I welcome the Chair of the Select Committee back from parental leave and greatly look forward to working with her again. Virtual wards allow patients to get hospital-level care in the comfort of their own home, speeding up their recovery while freeing up hospital beds for the patients who need them most. We are rolling out virtual wards further, so that they become the norm for managing many conditions at home.
I welcome the Chair of the Select Committee back from parental leave and greatly look forward to working with her again. Virtual wards allow patients to get hospital-level care in the comfort of their own home, speeding up their recovery while freeing up hospital beds for the patients who need them most. We are rolling out virtual wards further, so that they become the norm for managing many conditions at home.
What steps he has taken to support the virtual ward programme.
Earlier this year, I visited the “hospital at home” team at the John Radcliffe hospital, who run an incredible virtual ward. I saw them deliver care to Mavis, who is 91. She was so emotional and grateful for the work they did—we all ended up in tears. Imagine my disappointment that while I was off, we got an email from the team saying that the funding for that incredible service is no longer there and that they face closure. This is an example of the best of the NHS. We want it rolled out to the rest, but if the funding is not there for these nascent services to find their footing, how can we ensure that best practice can be spread across the whole of Oxfordshire and beyond?
Earlier this year, I visited the “hospital at home” team at the John Radcliffe hospital, who run an incredible virtual ward. I saw them deliver care to Mavis, who is 91. She was so emotional and grateful for the work they did—we all ended up in tears. Imagine my disappointment that while I was off, we got an email from the team saying that the funding for that incredible service is no longer there and that they face closure. This is an example of the best of the NHS. We want it rolled out to the rest, but if the funding is not there for these nascent services to find their footing, how can we ensure that best practice can be spread across the whole of Oxfordshire and beyond?
The hon. Lady makes a very valid point: this is about the shift from hospital to community, which we have to drive forward. In September 2025, 12,522 virtual ward beds were available—an increase from 12,497 in September 2024. Slowly but surely, we are increasing the number of virtual ward beds and the capability of virtual wards, but there is still a long way to go. I absolutely accept the point that the hon. Lady makes.
The hon. Lady makes a very valid point: this is about the shift from hospital to community, which we have to drive forward. In September 2025, 12,522 virtual ward beds were available—an increase from 12,497 in September 2024. Slowly but surely, we are increasing the number of virtual ward beds and the capability of virtual wards, but there is still a long way to go. I absolutely accept the point that the hon. Lady makes.
The hon. Lady makes a very valid point: this is about the shift from hospital to community, which we have to drive forward. In September 2025, 12,522 virtual ward beds were available—an increase from 12,497 in September 2024. Slowly but surely, we are increasing the number of virtual ward beds and the capability of virtual wards, but there is still a long way to go. I absolutely accept the point that the hon. Lady makes.
Earlier this year, I visited the “hospital at home” team at the John Radcliffe hospital, who run an incredible virtual ward. I saw them deliver care to Mavis, who is 91. She was so emotional and grateful for the work they did—we all ended up in tears. Imagine my disappointment that while I was off, we got an email from the team saying that the funding for that incredible service is no longer there and that they face closure. This is an example of the best of the NHS. We want it rolled out to the rest, but if the funding is not there for these nascent services to find their footing, how can we ensure that best practice can be spread across the whole of Oxfordshire and beyond?
What steps he has taken to support the virtual ward programme.
What steps he has taken to support the virtual ward programme.
I welcome the Chair of the Select Committee back from parental leave and greatly look forward to working with her again. Virtual wards allow patients to get hospital-level care in the comfort of their own home, speeding up their recovery while freeing up hospital beds for the patients who need them most. We are rolling out virtual wards further, so that they become the norm for managing many conditions at home.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, by what date he expects the NHS to have a virtual ward capacity of 40 beds per 100,000 people.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, by what date he expects the NHS to have a virtual ward capacity of 40 beds per 100,000 people.
The NHS England 2025/26 priorities and operational planning guidance asks systems to improve access to urgent care services, including virtual ward, also known as hospital at home, services.
No national population target has been set centrally for 2025/26 and it is for local systems to take decision on how best to increase capacity and utilisation as part of the range of urgent care services that can be accessed locally. Progress has continued to be made, with 12,825 virtual ward beds open in March 2025 compared to 11,856 in March 2024.
The Government is committed to transforming the National Health Service from analogue to digital, and this shift will be central to our 10-Year Health Plan.
Virtual wards aim to provide hospital level healthcare in patients' homes. What are the opportunities and risks for patients, carers and the NHS?
Virtual wards aim to provide hospital level healthcare in patients' homes. What are the opportunities and risks for patients, carers and the NHS?
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help extend access to virtual wards to (a) avoid admission to hospital and (b) speed up discharge.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help extend access to virtual wards to (a) avoid admission to hospital and (b) speed up discharge.
We are continuing to expand services to treat patients outside of hospitals when they have urgent needs, helping to prevent avoidable hospital admissions and speed up discharges. This includes using virtual wards which have benefited more than 240,000 people across the country so far. The expansion of these innovative services is allowing people to get the specialist care they need safely, and in the comfort of familiar surroundings.
A new virtual wards operational framework by NHS England sets out the further action being taken to improve access to virtual wards. The framework is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/virtual-wards-operational-framework/
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have been supported by hospital at home beds in each of the last 12 months.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have been supported by hospital at home beds in each of the last 12 months.
The information requested is not collected centrally. NHS England publishes data on the capacity and occupancy rate of virtual wards, which is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/virtual-ward/
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an estimate of how many patients are being treated on virtual wards for (a) respiratory conditions, (b) cardiology, (c) gastroenterology and (d) infectious diseases.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an estimate of how many patients are being treated on virtual wards for (a) respiratory conditions, (b) cardiology, (c) gastroenterology and (d) infectious diseases.
The information requested is not held centrally.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of (a) the total number of beds and (b) the number of occupied beds on virtual wards in England.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of (a) the total number of beds and (b) the number of occupied beds on virtual wards in England.
Published National Health Service data for September 2023 shows that virtual ward ‘bed’ capacity was 10,421, of which 6,807 were occupied.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients were treated in virtual beds in the NHS in England in September 2023.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients were treated in virtual beds in the NHS in England in September 2023.
Published data from NHS England for virtual wards show that in September 2023, there were 6,807 patients treated in virtual beds. The total number of virtual beds available in September was 10,421.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many virtual beds are in use in the NHS.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many virtual beds are in use in the NHS.
Published data from NHS England for virtual wards show that in September 2023, there were 6,807 patients treated in virtual beds. The total number of virtual beds available in September was 10,421.
I am pleased to inform the House today that we are spending an additional £240 million to support health and care services over winter.
This includes:
- £200 million in new and additional funding for the NHS to ensure patients continue to get the care they need through its busiest period, and
- £40 million...
I am pleased to inform the House today that we are spending an additional £240 million to support health and care services over winter.
This includes:
- £200 million in new and additional funding for the NHS to ensure patients continue to get the care they need through its busiest period, and
- £40 million...
My Rt. Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Steve Barclay) has made the following written statement:
I am pleased to inform the House today that we are spending an additional £240 million to support health and care services over winter.
This includes:
- £200 million in new and additional...
My Rt. Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Steve Barclay) has made the following written statement:
I am pleased to inform the House today that we are spending an additional £240 million to support health and care services over winter.
This includes:
- £200 million in new and additional...
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the commitment by the then Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Thérèse Coffey on 22 September 2022 (HC Deb, col 830), how many of the promised 7,000 new NHS beds are classified as virtual ward or hospital at home beds.
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the commitment by the then Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Thérèse Coffey on 22 September 2022 (HC Deb, col 830), how many of the promised 7,000 new NHS beds are classified as virtual ward or hospital at home beds.
As of March 2023, NHS England had delivered an additional 7,820 beds or bed equivalents. Of these, 4,805 were general and acute beds and community beds, 628 were virtual ward beds and 2,387 were bed equivalents from patient flow initiatives. The additional general and acute beds delivered are beds in National Health Service hospitals.
NHS England does not hold the number of outsourced beds. Systems may commission private providers for the provision of step down intermediate care capacity outside of hospital either on a spot purchase or block purchase basis.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the bed occupancy rate of NHS virtual wards was in January 2022.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the bed occupancy rate of NHS virtual wards was in January 2022.
The information requested is not collected centrally.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many virtual wards there are in England; and what the overall bed occupancy rates for virtual wards is.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many virtual wards there are in England; and what the overall bed occupancy rates for virtual wards is.
Validated data on the number and occupancy rates of virtual wards is not collected and published centrally.