Virtual Wards: 13,800 bed‑days freed as digital care eases hospital pressure.

The Department of Health reports two pilot acute virtual wards have already supported more than 1,500 patients and freed up over 13,800 “virtual bed days,” with four new sites now open and another planned for early 2026.

Ireland’s rollout of “virtual wards” is accelerating, with the Department of Health pointing to early results from pilot sites and announcing additional wards now operating across multiple regions.

In a press release published on 27 December 2025, Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD said Ireland has made “significant progress” in implementing and expanding virtual care, describing it as a way to improve patient outcomes while relieving pressure on hospital capacity.  

According to the Department, two pilot acute virtual wards based at St Vincent’s University Hospital and University Hospital Limerick have admitted over 1,500 patients since commencing. The Department said this equates to more than 13,800 “virtual bed days,” which it says has helped free up hospital space.  

The Department also announced that four new acute virtual wards are now open at:

• Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda
• Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore
• Mercy Hospital, Cork
• St Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny

A further acute virtual ward is planned for Galway University Hospital in early 2026.  

Virtual wards are presented as an approach to delivering acute care at home for patients who would otherwise need hospital admission, supported by digital technology and clinician-led models. The Department added that community virtual wards and a range of “Seedling Projects” are also in place to support healthcare delivery to patients across Ireland.  

As part of the national picture, the press release highlighted Letterkenny as an early adopter of the virtual ward concept initially focused on respiratory disease reporting an 18% reduction in acute admissions to Letterkenny Hospital in 2025.  The release also referenced the Community Virtual Ward in Cherry Orchard, described as serving older adults who would otherwise require hospital care, and aiming to support care at home while protecting patients from hospital-acquired infections.  

The Minister said the expansion of virtual wards is “a wonderful success story” and credited local teams and healthcare professionals for delivering the change.  Chief Nursing Officer Rachel Kenna also welcomed the rollout, describing it as a step forward for patient-centred care and highlighting the role of technology and innovation in enabling treatment at home.