NICE - 1st September 2023
More people could be treated out of hospital in the NHS's new respiratory hubs and virtual wards following new NICE draft guidance on the initial assessment and management of suspected acute respiratory infections (ARIs) published today (Friday, 1 September).
The draft guideline covers diagnosing and managing suspected ARIs, including pneumonia, respiratory viruses, and flu in adults. It does not cover people with COVID-19. It aims to improve initial assessments and access to face-to-face appointments as well as the management of conditions to help reduce hospital admissions.
Acute respiratory infections have increased since the COVID pandemic and around 220,000 people are diagnosed with pneumonia in England and Wales every year. They are more common in winter and place a significant pressure on local healthcare resources.
For the first time NICE's updated guidance includes recommendations to refer people to acute respiratory infection (ARI) hubs or acute respiratory infection virtual wards. It follows NICE recently publishing draft guidance recommending the use of virtual wards to monitor ARI patients aged 16 or over at home using digital technologies.
The updated guidance now says that if during an online consultation a person is suspected to have pneumonia, or if an adequate assessment cannot be made remotely, the person should be referred for a face-to-face assessment.
Further information - More people could be treated out of hospital this winter through new draft NICE guidance to help identify and manage acute respiratory infections
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