![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/1747930394_975_grey-placeholder.png\")
![\"NWAFT](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/e9d69960-37bc-11f0-9e4d-b7a43daeff47.jpg.webp.webp\")
NWAFT<\/p>\nShariqua Ahmed<\/p>\n
BBC News, Peterborough<\/p>\n
NWAFT<\/p>\n
Peterborough City Hospital has monitored patients using virtual ward technology since 2022<\/p>\n
An NHS hospital trust has said it could be the first in England to have treated a patient with an anti-psychotic medication while monitoring them virtually.<\/p>\n
The mental health trust for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough said it treated the patient for schizophrenia with the drug clozapine.<\/p>\n
They were being monitored via a so-called virtual ward, where clinicians in the hospital keep track of the patient while they are at home.<\/p>\n
Consultant Dr Rajeev Krishnadas said the patient was “doing very well”.<\/p>\n
The treatment was the result of a partnership between the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) – which oversees mental health services in the area – and the North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust (NWAFT).<\/p>\n
Dr Krishnadas, from CPFT, said clozapine was “hugely under-prescribed” because it was usually difficult to monitor the patient after they had begun treatment.<\/p>\n
“If this initial project continues to be a success, even more people will be able to access clozapine and get the help and support they need,” he said.<\/p>\n
Dr Deyo Okubadejo, clinical director for virtual wards at NWAFT, said: “This may also release some capacity for other patients who require urgent admission to a mental health ward from home or from an emergency department.”<\/p>\n
Mixed success<\/p>\n
Virtual wards make use of video and other technology<\/a>, such as wearable kits.<\/p>\n Usually a patient receiving clozapine would need to stay in hospital.<\/p>\n The scheme was first trialled at Peterborough City Hospital in 2022.<\/p>\n