Virtual Ward Technologies emerged from the UK ventilator challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic, revolutionising patient care with their innovative virtual ward system. The technology, which was conceptualised collaboratively with the UK Government, is designed for home use and is able to gather 140 data points per second - a huge advancement compared to the 9 data points typically collected within a day in physical ward settings. This system integrates AI to objectively support clinicians, offering a novel approach to continuous health monitoring outside of physical hospital environments to match the growing demands on the healthcare industry. Virtual Ward technology can diagnose conditions like sleep apnea at scale, and has demonstrated the ability to create significant cost savings across various pilots. With the ability to cover healthcare needs from “cradle to grave”, including prevention, acute care, social care, healthcare, its potential is undoubtable. 

As Virtual Ward Technologies began to transition from development to commercialisation, they encountered challenges in meeting regulatory and compliance standards. However, they knew that without meeting compliance requirements, they could not even begin serious conversations about their product. The process of obtaining necessary certifications was not only expensive but also extremely time consuming, with costs approaching £250,000 and timelines extending over a year. Virtual Ward Technologies needed an efficient solution to ensure compliance while managing their resources effectively. 

Virtual Ward Technologies leveraged the Naq platform to automate their compliance challenges. Naq provided a comprehensive and cost-effective solution that streamlined the certification process. By offering an automated approach to compliance, Naq significantly reduced the manual effort and time required to meet the necessary standards. Additionally, Naq’s platform facilitates efficient staff onboarding and training, allowing Virtual Ward Technologies to focus on their core innovations while ensuring regulatory requirements are met. 

Professor Rhys Thomas, CEO/CSO and Co-founder of Virtual Wards Technologies, said that without using the Naq platform to automate compliance, their team of three would have to “seek venture capital and use that money, probably about a quarter million, just to get compliant.” Reflecting on his experience using Naq, Professor Rhys commented: “I think they're amazing… I'm really grateful and appreciative of the help that we've had from them."

As a result, Virtual Ward Technologies achieved several essential certifications for NHS suppliers in just four months, including Cyber Essentials Plus, Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) v6, Digital Technology Assessment Criteria (DTAC), and DCB 0129, allowing them to be able to start their journey. This rapid certification process was instrumental in accelerating the company's market entry and ensuring the reliability and security of their innovative virtual ward technology, and, by relying on the Naq platform to streamline their compliance, they saved a quarter of a million pounds.