The 2024 digital deadline is fast approaching. How can you ensure your care service is on track to meet the digital deadline?

By 2024, the Department of Health & Social Care aims for all (but at least 80%) of care providers to be using a digital care management platform. This deadline is the first marker of progress for the long term digital transformation of the whole sector, as set out in their ‘Plan for digital health and social care’ and the vision for a digitally-enabled health and social care system.

The deadline exists to ensure that health and social care is sustainable in the long term and digital transformation for care providers is the logical first step. The deadline also serves to ensure that the advancements in digital health and social care made during the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

Using digital care management is becoming essential for care providers. With a digital platform, care teams can track incidents and events, and by analysing the data recorded, potentially prevent such incidents happening again in the future. Having everything all in one place,  without paper weighing you down and taking up your time, will have a huge impact on your care service and how you deliver and coordinate care.

“The long-term sustainability of health and social care is dependent on having the right digital foundations in place, and so digital transformation must be the linchpin upon which all of these reforms are based.” – Sajid Javid, Former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

Deciding to go digital is the easy part. How do you then decide which platform provider to entrust with digital care planning? There’s a host of things to consider and we’ve created a handy checklist to help make sense of it all and what the most important things to look for when choosing a new digital platform provider.

Digital care planning is the way forward for health and social care and the 2024 digital deadline is fast approaching. By March 2024, the Department for Health & Social Care require 80% of care providers to be using digital care planning, with plans for this to eventually become 100%. Saving time is one of the key benefits of using digital care planning but how can digital data be used to save time and work smarter within your care service?

Using a digital care management platform that allows care note recording on the go is an instant time saver, especially compared to paper notes. Not only is time saved on note recording, but notes are more detailed and precise allowing senior staff and managers to spot any changes that require their attention and intervention.

With notes recorded on the go, information is up-to-date and available within the handheld devices. Care staff will have instant access to the essential information they need about the people you support. As and when care needs change, your care teams will always be in the loop to ensure they can provide the best care suitable for the people you support. The handover feature of a digital care planning platform will allow your care teams to see essential information from the shifts before, ensuring they are up-to-date on any events and are aware of anything that needs to be monitored or checked.

Agency carers, if used in your care service, are there to assist your staff when there are shortages. However, unless you’re lucky enough to get the same carers over and over, ensuring agency staff have all the necessary information
to provide safe, effective and person-centred care to the people you support can be time consuming. Having care plans and essential information available on a portable device means agency staff are able to immediately familiarise themselves with the people they will be supporting without having to rely on your care staff.

78% of care providers surveyed in a study by Care England reported that there has been a significantly higher and more frequent need for nurse and carer agency staff in May/June 2022 compared to April 2021. The survey also found that 50% of agency staff during this time were used to fill long-term vacancies of four weeks or more. With agency usage increasing, a digital platform that accommodates this is essential.

“The impact on the team was an immediate effect, especially in regards to time saving and daily report completion.” St Bernard’s Residential

Using a digital care management platform as a care group allows you to have an overview of each and every service within your group from a centralised location without physically having to visit. This means no more travelling to each location, freeing up your all-important time. A digital care management platform should feature dashboards and reports for the management teams to track and monitor trends and changes in the people supported. With the power of data intelligence readily available, you have the capability for early intervention on health and wellbeing changes and the ability to see if any services are in need of extra support.

“It’s so easy to access care plans, risk assessments, contacts, daily routines, fluid charts, falls, medication and more all in one place and at the touch of a button.” St James Care – Linden House

Utilising the third-party integrations available within your chosen platform will save your team’s time as all information can be found in one central location and encourages working smarter in proactive and preventative care. Integrations can be used to reduce administrative burden, reduce double entry and improve the flow of information in the circle of care. Integrations give you access to information you wouldn’t otherwise have access to. This allows you to analyse digital data and make better more informed decisions, the best possible outcomes, improve care delivery and care review for the future.

Integrations with third-party eMAR systems ensure you have immediate access to the information you need at the point of care, such as medications administered and associated notes. Prescribed medications can instantly be added to the Emergency Admission Pack if one of the people you support has to go into hospital. For integrations that focus on falls prevention, the data recorded can be analysed in order to identify early warning signs. These early warning signs will allow you to put preventative measures in place, reducing future incidents, the time spent on incident aftercare and allowing for a safer environment for the people you support.

Escalations of care need a timely response from external healthcare providers and preventative care and chronic disease management integrations encourage this. The ability to share information from your digital care planning platforms with a clinical team quickly is crucial to the person you support and the management of their care, saving time trying to get through on the telephone. Preventative care works to reduce hospital admissions with early intervention. Having systems in place enables early supported discharge which frees up beds within the NHS and supports a community-based approach to care in a more comfortable and appropriate setting for the people you support.

Nurse call software and the analysis of data surrounding call bell usage is designed to reduce the usage of call bells in care services. In doing this, the care service environment becomes less stressful for the people you support and your staff. The data analysis can show where call bell usage is higher and response times slower, allowing for adjustments to staffing levels to accommodate, easing the minds of family members and providing evidence for CQC.

“Nourish allows us insight into our care system that never existed before. This has really helped how we collaborate as a team and share information between departments and other healthcare professionals.” – The Grange Centre

Using a digital care planning platform will allow you to analyse the data that is recorded. Centralising data storage through the use of integrations allows a concoction of rich data to identify trends and patterns that will allow you to improve the lives of people you support. Using paper particularly would make joining the dots on incidents and the potential causes trickier and slower. With a digital platform, the information can begin to be analysed instantly.

By analysing the data recorded, you and your teams will be able to spot and track trends on simple and easy to use dashboards. The data can be useful to allow you to intervene before an incident occurs by spotting trends before they escalate. Dashboards and reporting  functionalities allow you to track the events leading up to an incident and in the future, if the same chain of events begin to happen, intervene before the risk reaches boiling point. Not only does this save time on form filling, contacting families, external healthcare providers and more but it is also significant for the individual supported. The data analysis also provides the opportunity of learnings that can be shared across your services, helping to contribute to positive change within your organisation.

Using digital care planning allows you to become proactive in your care approach. You can see warning signs, manage and raise awareness of any triggers, inform staff of the best way to respond by having all that information in carers hands on their devices. In the short term, time is saved on note recording, double entries and information sharing and in the long term, time is saved by utilising preventative measures and being proactive in your care approach. Not only is time saved by working smarter but implementing the aforementioned measures will improve the wellbeing of the people you support and your staff.

When selecting a new digital care planning platform, information security should be a key consideration for making sure the platform is suitable and secure for your care service. From GDPR requirements for data processing and controlling, data backups and who can access data, to accreditations such as ISO and Cyber Essentials Plus, there are a host of things to consider when using a new platform. We’ve put together this guide to help you make sense of it all and how Nourish goes above and beyond to ensure data in the system is protected to the highest level. 

The General Data Protection Regulations “GDPR” is embedded as part of everything we do at Nourish and we continually review and improve our processes to ensure best practice and compliance with the regulations. This includes; vetting suppliers for their own data practices, data sharing agreements with integration partners, Data Protection Impact Assessments and improving data security for our customers in every way we can. Nourish’s compliance with GDPR is monitored and audited as part of the below certifications. 

In 2019, Nourish became one of the first digital care planning providers to implement and obtain a UKAS accredited ISO 27001 certification. In November 2023, Nourish transitioned to the latest 2022 version of the standard, giving confidence to all our current and potential customers that we have the latest and best processes in place to protect information across our entire organisation.

ISO 27001:2022 provides organisations with a framework and controls to protect their information in a systematic and cost-effective way, through the adoption of an Information Security Management System (ISMS). This accreditation underpins our security at Nourish; with annual external audits, monthly training sessions, regular meetings to discuss ISMS issues and managerial buy-in to the processes, to ensure our continuous improvement of security. The requirements for accreditation are stringent and based on three security principles: 

Nourish achieves these three principles by the implementation of the 93 controls across; organisational, people, physical and technical themes that make up the latest standard, ensuring that Nourish has thoroughly considered risks and has treatment plans in place to mitigate them.

Implementing a certified information management system such as ISO 27001:2022 has enabled Nourish to work in the safest and most efficient way.

As a company providing software, Cyber Security is often a topic for conversation. How do we protect ourselves further, can we make improvements, what is new that we need to protect against? 

Nourish has achieved and maintains the Cyber Essentials Plus certification, adding to our Data Security certifications which work alongside our ISO 27001:2022 certified Information Security Management System. This ensures the safety and security of all data at Nourish and helps to prevent being an easy target for hacking or phishing schemes. To find out more about what you can do to protect your care service from phishing emails read our blog here.

Cyber Essentials is a government-backed scheme aimed towards preventing attacks from the outside. Cyber Essentials Plus is the highest level of certification offered under the Cyber Essentials scheme, it includes a thorough exploration of security systems, experts carrying out vulnerability tests on an annual basis. 

Gaining the Cyber Essentials Plus certification is a key part of being able to offer our customers, partners and suppliers’ complete confidence in our ability to handle their data and keep it secure. 

Holding data requires storage, Nourish backs up data continuously to a cloud-based system. Nourish does not use onsite data stores and all cloud-provided solutions are backed up automatically and built into our disaster recovery plan and testing.  

The accreditations above are just some of the ways Nourish ensures sensitive information and personal records are kept secure and protected and allows us to stay on top of data protection and Information Security. 

Nourish continuously improves its data and cyber security to keep ahead of security improvements and recommendations to limit the chance of breaches or attack.  Our main aim is to keep all data safe, accurate and available at all times. 

To find out more about information security management and our digital care management platform – click here to book a demo

Phishing has been in the news and on social media a lot in recent months. Have you received an email from HMRC, PayPal, your bank, delivery companies like UPS, or maybe you’ve received an email claiming ‘you’ve won an iPhone!’? These are common examples of phishing emails aiming to catch you out.  

A phishing email is designed and targeted by cybercriminals or ‘hackers’ to create the illusion of a genuine email. They normally claim to be a company that does exist, but the email will not be from the genuine company. For example, they could be trying to look like a delivery company that was ‘unable to deliver your parcel’ or HMRC with ‘fraud that needs to be actioned’. These emails can look very genuine but will have dangerous consequences. Most often these emails will contain a link that when clicked by the user will usually ask for some sort of personal details or can place viruses or software onto your device.  

Nourish has noticed an increase in attempted phishing emails in the sector over the last 6 months, these emails are targeted and can look very genuine. Some phishing emails have come to us pretending to be from companies such as care providers, NHS, HMRC, Microsoft and many more, some of which have been very good copies. These emails look exactly like a message from an organisation or person you trust. Official sources should never be asking you for any sensitive information via email.  

Attacks can cause serious problems if not handled correctly or caught early. The hackers can install malware or ransomware, sabotage systems, steal intellectual property or money, steal or lock access to data or personal information.  

The costs to recover this can be very large if they ever do return the property or data they have stolen or accessed. They simply may publish the information which could lead to claims or reputation damage.  

The cost of productivity to recover or recreate what is stolen or lost may also cost a company significantly.  

It can cause loss of customers if trust is broken, and they may no longer trust the organisation to keep their information or customer data safe.  

Financial costs of fines or penalties for breach of regulatory requirements would also be a considered factor if there is more that could have been done to prevent the attack. 

Knowing for sure is impossible however, some key things to look out for to identify a phishing email are:  

If you believe an email may be suspicious or phishing, ensure firstly that you do not click on any links or attachments. If you think it might not be genuine but is something you are unsure about, find a phone number for the company on another source and call to validate.  

If the email is sent from a person you think you might know, contact them on another method of communication to ensure that they sent the email.  

Most email providers allow a reporting option to report any suspicious emails, this allows email systems to improve the detection of phishing emails. Some providers will also spam emails into a separate spam inbox.  

Finally, when you suspect or think it is a phishing email delete the email from your inbox to avoid accidentally clicking or opening in the future.  

First, don’t panic! Make a note of everything you can remember happening, especially taking a note of any information you think they may have gathered from you during the phishing attempt.  

Change any passwords as soon as you realise you may have been compromised, also changing the password if it is used elsewhere.  

Where possible check any access to the account in question to see if any new attempts have been made to access it.  

If this attack was on a work or school computer, contact the appropriate person or IT Department as soon as possible in order to start working toward securing all accounts where possible.  

If you shared any information including card or bank details contact your local police, bank and card company as soon as possible as they will be able to stop the cards or money being taken if it is still yet to happen. 

As discussed, the consequences can be significant. However, there are ways you can protect your care service: 

Being vigilant to phishing emails and knowing what to do if you do receive one and even what to do if you become a victim of one is extremely important.

To find out about Nourish’s data security management take a look at our blog. 

Care owners understandably want to have peace of mind that everything is under control and running smoothly within their care service. The Compliance & Audits feature within Nourish can be used in a number of different ways to provide great insight into your care service depending on your individual requirements.

If you’re a hands on care owner, you may want to be able to look into detail at exactly how your care service is performing, and the ways in which it is improving people’s lives, or simply see the bottom line to understand how your care service is doing, and what needs to be done to continue to grow and improve. 

Compliance and Audits can do just that, and it can be tailored to suit the needs of your care service. Here’s just a few ways care owners can utilise this feature.

Every care service is run differently, and the flexibility of the Nourish system allows you to run things the way you want. Audits can look into both the running of the care service itself as well as the residents health and wellbeing, to ensure that everything is running smoothly.

You can choose from a bank of audits to understand specific areas, or create bespoke audits based on things that are more specific to your care service. Owners may wish to identify areas such as spending, predict CQC ratings or assess staffing needs.

Care owners can then add bespoke reports that are tailored to their needs which can assess overall quality of care being provided. They may want to report on failed admissions, GP visits or number of completed records by staff, to name just a few. 

These audits allow care owners to spot check certain areas where they may wish to improve or change, and it allows them to gain a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t. 

Care owners are bound to be busy, and the thought of having to sit down and sift through paper reports can be daunting. With Nourish, care owners can utilise Compliance and Audits by automating the reports they need on a regular basis, and this could be as frequent as is necessary for your care service. 

Automated reports take the hassle out of manual reporting, and ensure reporting is consistent for much more accurate data in the long run. This can be incredibly beneficial when it comes to inspections. 

Care owners can then look at data at the touch of a button, in as much or little detail as they like. This is really useful for those times when you may want to simply understand the bottom line, as you can see a top level overview of different areas of your care service. 

This also means that when it comes to a CQC inspection, you can streamline the process and simply produce any reports that they may wish to see. They’ll have all the information ready to look at without the need for trawling through mountains of paperwork. 

As a care owner, having a detailed understanding of every area of your care service is key to figuring out what works well and what may need improvement, and it can be hard to see the bigger picture sometimes without a good auditing system. 

Compliance and Audits within Nourish can help to gain a better understanding of your staff and those you support through the use of the bespoke audits and automated reports. 

With clear and consistent reporting, you will then be able to analyse data at a much deeper level, and at a much faster rate than paper reporting. This feature can also be used in conjunction with Nourish Analytics, to allow you to identify trends and correlation at scale throughout your care service. This is particularly useful for big care groups who may wish to monitor and track the level of service being provided across all sites, to ensure consistency in care. 

The Nourish system is designed to work with all different types of care providers, to be as flexible as possible so that care owners can tailor it to their needs. 

Compliance and Audits is just one element of Nourish that can provide care owners with a clear view and understanding of every area of their care service, so that they can make more informed decisions in order to maintain an outstanding level of care to those they support. 

For more information on how the Nourish system can help your care service, book a demo today!

Electronic care planning isn’t just improving the lives of those in care, it’s improving the lives of those working in care too.

Personalised care plans are the best way to ensure your care team provide the most person-centred support to those they care for. 

Each individual is different, therefore a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t always work, especially when you care for people with very different needs. 

When it comes to working with personalised plans on paper, things can be quite tricky. With care teams looking after many different people at the same time, a lot of carers’ time is spent looking at care plans, writing up notes and analysing information by hand, which can become very time consuming, and ultimately takes away from the time they could be spending with those they support. 

 As personalised plans become far easier to create, manage and analyse online, they can also be shared easily with members of a care team so that everyone can see the information they need at the click of a button. 

This results in people receiving a much more personal and bespoke level of care, and ensures care teams are always working with a person-centred approach. There are many benefits to personalised care plans that are empowering teams to provide a greater level of care. 

Having a team of carers who enjoy their job is so important when striving to deliver outstanding person-centred care. When care teams are happy, this shines through in their delivery of care. Here’s just a few ways personalised plans are empowering care teams working digitally……

The most common way care teams are feeling empowered by personalised plans is through increased efficiency. 

Having each care plan easily accessible at the touch of a button can save carers a huge amount of time looking through stacks of paper and spending lengthy periods writing up notes. It also means there’s no confusion or questioning when shifts change, as you handover to the next carer they have  all of the same information readily available. Knowing what’s been done and what needs to be done allows carers to ensure people are getting everything they need in a timely fashion.

The Nourish system has a handover feature which allows carers to quickly scan through what a previous member of staff has done that day or night, which means that change overs are seamless and consistent care is provided at all times. 

With personal plans for each individual they support accessible at the touch of a button, carers are feeling empowered through that added confidence in their role. 

Personalised plans provide in-depth information about a person and their needs, including everything from their allergies and medication history to their likes and dislikes. Having this information to hand allows carers to get to know the people they support, and in having this deeper understanding of their needs, carers can feel confident they are providing the safest form of care for individuals. 

The Nourish system has the ability to log notes and send direct messages to other members of staff, so if something doesn’t look right or they’re unsure of something, this makes it easy for care teams to communicate with each other and support each other in their daily tasks. 

Those who work in care do so because they want to help and make a difference in people’s lives, but when there’s mountains of paperwork to do at the end of a shift, this can sometimes make carers feel like they could be doing more if it wasn’t for all the admin that comes with the job. 

Personalised plans that are created digitally allow carers to spend less time on admin and paperwork, and more time doing what they do best, which is caring.

“Saved around 30% of the time care teams would have spent writing their notes” and “quite easily saves staff around 20 minutes per shift”. 

Personalised plans empower care teams to work with a person-centred approach, as it gives them the time to spend with those they support in a face to face environment. Spending quality time with those in care is good for both the person receiving and giving the support. 

The majority of carers’ job satisfaction comes from being able to make genuine human connections and really make a difference to those they care for. Admin is often seen as a necessary evil of the job, but a digital way of working can cut down this admin time immensely, which makes a huge difference to the way in which care teams work. 

Autonomy is the key to a smooth running team, and personalised plans can help provide greater clarity on what each individual needs, without any uncertainty. 

With a comprehensive care plan, handover notes and direct messaging available within the Nourish system, carers no longer need to search high and low for specific information about a person. A personal care plan will have all the important details of what that person needs, so that the carer on duty can simply get on with their work efficiently and effectively. 

The Nourish system has a comprehensive care plan and personalised timeline that can give carers an extensive overview of a person’s biography, care needs, medication, emergency information and more. 

Having easy digital access to personalised care plans is empowering care teams in the workplace with a better understanding of what is required of them in their role. Working digitally eliminates a lot of the uncertainty and groups all information together in one central location, which provides greater structure and direction for care teams. 

With a clearer view of the needs of each person under their care, their work becomes easier and they feel more motivated to go above and beyond. With a more streamlined system that everyone has access to, admin time is drastically cut down and teams are empowered to provide more person centred care, there’s no doubt that a digital way of working is going to boost morale in the workplace. 

With the structure and efficiency of a digital personalised plan, teams can put all their effort into providing outstanding care for everyone. 

A smarter way to care. We’ve worked with over 1,000 care services and organisations to deliver truly person-centred care plans that transform the way care teams manage and support those they support.

For more information on how the Nourish system can help your care service begin to empower your care teams, get in touch or book a demo today.

When it comes to understanding care planning sometimes its best to start at the beginning. That’s why we’ve designed this Care Planning 101 series to help. This week we’ll be starting from the beginning and helping you to understand what care plans are, what care planning involves and how it helps you to provide people with the right care for their own individual requirements.

A plan of care is a presentation of information that easily describes the services and support being given to a person. Care plans should be put together and agreed with the person they focus on through the process of care planning and review. A care plan is made up from individual records of care, which then contribute to the overall plan of care for a person.

Care plans are an essential aspect to providing gold standard quality care. Not only do they help define the support & care workers’ roles in providing consistent care, but they enable the care team to customise the level and types of support for each person based on their individual needs.

Another important function or purpose of care plans is to ensure the consistency of care a person receives. If a robust care plan is in place, staff from different shifts, rotas or visits can use the information to give the same quality of care and support. This allows people to receive a high standard of safe, effective and responsive care in a service which is well-led.

Every person is unique. A one-size-fits-all approach does not effectively work.  Care teams responsible for the actual delivery of care need to be constantly vigilant and be immediately responsive should there be any indication of a person’s changing needs. This could be increased or decreased and make sure that the plan of care is amended and updated as necessary, not waiting for the formal regular routine review to take place.

Using a care plan software can enhance your care plans, giving you deeper oversight into your care home as well as the care planning app giving your care teams the ability to record care on the go and have all the essential information about the people you support in one place.

If you’d like to find out more about how Nourish can help you effectively manage your care plans and care pathways, book a personalised demo with our team today.

Many of us use some kind of technology to monitor our health and well-being. We’ve got fitness trackers, smart watches, sleep trackers, fluid logs, gym apps and so much more. We input our data and track our progress so we can see where and how we can make changes to improve our health. And just as it can improve our health, data and analytics can improve your care management too!

With this in mind, the same concept is now being applied in the care sector. Care teams are now able to use a digital system to record notes and assist with daily care. Moving away from a paper-based system comes with a whole host of benefits, one of which is the huge amount of data that can be analysed, which has great potential to improve the way care and support is provided. 

In order to look at ways in which care can be improved, measurable data is needed. Not only will this help to spot any initial areas for improvement, but the continuous monitoring of data allows you to accurately measure the effects of any changes made. A data-driven approach to care can really help care teams to better understand those they support, and feel confident they are providing the safest daily care to each individual. 

Fears surrounding big data 

Although the idea of using data analysis is supposed to instill confidence in carers, it is understandable that many people still have their reservations about this, mainly surrounding the accuracy of said data, and where data protection comes into the equation. But when it comes to the digital vs paper debate, it is clear that paper recording poses a far greater risk for inaccuracy and inconsistencies in patient information. 

We are already starting to see technology being implemented within the health and social care sectors. The NHS is slowly starting to work on digitalisation of patient records, and electronic care planning is now becoming the norm across many care homes in the UK. Now that the care sector is rapidly adopting a digital way of working, data analytics is the next step in evolving and enhancing the way we care. But how exactly can data and analytics improve your care management? 

Spotting trends in those you support 

One of the main benefits of analysing data is to be able to spot trends. This could be anything from eating habits to sleeping patterns, and these trends may vary between care providers. 

What this allows carers to do is look at the bigger picture. Did someone refuse their dinner or their medication one night? If so, why did they? Who was on shift that evening? When looking at the bigger picture you can start to see what’s missing or what’s changed and ask the necessary questions to get to the bottom of it. 

With paper recording, it can be a little trickier to keep up to date with the bigger picture and see things clearly, meaning things can get missed. While it may sound extreme, spotting someone’s decline in appetite could be the difference between life or death, as this could be the first sign of an underlying condition that could otherwise go unnoticed. 

Creating continuity of care  

Having data recorded electronically makes it far easier to run reports, and gain insight into individual’s needs. This type of data recording and reporting is proactive and allows you to share insight and information with your care team and other healthcare providers in a safe and efficient way. 

With data reports readily available to view, this is a far more accurate way of sending and receiving up to date information, ensuring that everyone is getting the right level of care they require. 

Creates a transparent care environment

When there is clear communication among care teams, you are better equipped to support those in your care. Going digital has its benefits in ensuring everyone is on the same page, but the analysis of data takes this one step further. 

By providing everyone with the facts and figures in a clear and concise way, these insights will empower carers to be the best they can be. With reports and data readily available, this means everyone can have clarity around the type of care an individual needs and what is being done to support them, and family members can be kept in the loop so they have peace of mind their loved ones are in good hands. 

Transparency is key when it comes to evidencing care for CQC purposes. Data analysis better equips you to provide the best quality care as well as have all the necessary information readily available for inspectors when you have an audit. 

The future of data and analytics in a post Covid-19 world

This year, the care sector has faced many challenges. The Covid-19 pandemic swept across the globe and sadly became one of the leading causes of deaths within care. Understanding something like this virus can become a lot easier when we’re able to analyse the facts and the figures. Care homes who were successful in preventing an outbreak within their organisation were monitoring things extremely closely. Symptoms, incubation periods, and patient-staff interactions were all recorded and able to be analysed to track and prevent outbreaks from sweeping through their care service. 

Data and analytics is quickly going to become a must within the care sector in a post-pandemic world. The Goverment have already invested £600 billion into an Infection Control Fund for care homes, and using that funding for digital transformation could help so many care services become better prepared in the future. Not only does technology make it far easier to breakdown and understand data, but using a digital device to share information with staff, families and other healthcare services is far safer as it reduces contact between one another. Staff will be able to work more efficiently when they can all access a centralised system remotely, and it’ll be easier to log and track who has been where and when which will ultimately help prevent the spread of the virus.

How electronic care planning can help

Moving towards a digital way of working has a number of advantages, and now is the time for care services who are still using paper records to make the switch. Collating and using big data allows care teams to become more aware and vigilant of the risks to those they support, understand those risks, and implement solutions. At Nourish, we want to encourage data analysis to help care organisations provide better care, which is why our electronic care planning system can also be upgraded with an analytics tool that can help spot trends and patterns to better equip you in supporting those in your care. 

We now also have a Covid-19 Tracker built into our platform, so you can track the virus more closely and understand how it is affecting your care service. To find out more about how Nourish can help you provide better care, book a demo with us today. 

Many care providers are now looking towards a smarter way of working, and with the recent strain put on the care sector due to the Coronavirus pandemic, it seems now more than ever people will be looking to make the switch to digital.

In this guide to electronic care planning, we map out what the best ways of going about selecting a care plan provider are, and answer that all important question: what are the costs?

Electronic care planning is a very recent and modern market, with most of its current players being fewer than 10 years old. As a result of this, pricing is often a topic of discussion: is it driven by its market, or is the market driving it instead? Is the market mature enough to represent a fair value or are providers offering a round number and see if it sticks? How is pricing calculated – by the number of staff, or people we support? How much is the upfront/setup cost, and how quickly does it start showing a good return on investment? How can I ease off this investment if I am a smaller provider? Can I get support from the Government/my local authority? This guide to electronic care planning tries to answer all these questions and leave you with enough material so that you can set a budget before you start looking for the most adequate ECP for your care provision.

Let’s start with the basics: your budgeting for an ECP is usually broken down in three different types of payments: Licensing (recurring costs), Implementation (one-off initial costs) and add-ons (additional costs if there is a variation from the initial requirements).

1. Licensing: this is your subscription cost which will be the bulk of your budget; it should cover the usage of your solution, any server costs, security, backups, support, account management, and product development.

????Tip: Always ask if the list above is included in your licensing cost. Nobody likes being surprised with a lower licensing price only to find out later that support or account management are add-on.

2. Implementation: this is your initial setup cost, which is usually roughly the equivalent of the first year of your licensing cost. It should cover any hardware, training, and setup fees.

????Tip: Some companies might offer you implementation at a very low cost, or even for free. It’s
good to bear in mind that this may indicate that a company is relatively young and might not be as
robust as other, more mature providers.

3. Add-ons: Anything outside of the scope of the initial plan would fit this category. For instance, if you expand to get a new unit, require a couple of additional pieces of hardware, or require additional training, you should expect there to be a cost for these.

????Tip: A transparent company will always be clear about any add-on costs. Be cautious if any Licensing or Implementation cost mentioned above fits into the “add-on” category, since you should expect them as standard.

Usually the cost represents a breakdown of the points mentioned above: the usage of the solution, server costs, security, backups, support, account management, and product development. A lower cost usually means some of these key elements is severely reduced or even not included.

Another important point is understanding whether the solutions is fully cloud-based, on-premise, or mixed. Most modern ECPs are fully cloud-based, which should be your preference: it will be much more robust, future proof, with regular updates, and you will be able to access your care records from anywhere (with the right permissions).

On-premise solutions usually have a higher implementation cost and require higher add-on fees when there is a maintenance problem. Cloud-based solutions are usually more expensive initially but being future proof, you are not surprised with hidden fees and required upgrades at any point.

????Tip: ask the following questions to understand if the service will be within your expectations:

1) How often is the system updated with newer, better features and clinical updates from the sector?

2) Who receives support, how is it offered, and is it 24/7 all year round? 

3) Is the data stored in the UK and how often are backups conducted?

Our guide to electronic care planning will break down the different types of licensing you can get. You will most likely encounter one based on the number of people you support, one based on the number of staff you have, and one based on the number of devices you are using.

1. Based on the people you support: this usually gives you a fair price because it’s directly based on your revenue.

????Tip: some providers offer you discounts based on different brackets so try to use that to your advantage. Also, clarify whether this impacts the capacity or occupancy of your numbers

2.Based on the number of staff you have: roughly a similar cost to the one above depending on the ratio of staff to people you support.

????Tip: ensure you have enough accounts for every member of staff or you will start losing accountability if people start sharing accounts. It might save you a very small cost initially, but it can have dramatic impact in evidencing care on a later stage.

3.Based on the number of devices you are using: usually more common in legacy ECPs, you will only pay for how many devices you require. Usually a good option if you have a low ratio of staff to people you support.

????Tip: Same as above, ensure every member of staff has access to the ECP at any point in time. If you neglect this, the ECP can become a downgrade from paper, since there will be times where staff will have no access to care plans, or no way of evidencing their care.

As with any decision, this will have an impact on your business. You should look at your options, even once you have picked your favourite ECP. Our guide to electronic care planning provides some ideas for how you can mitigate the implementation cost to a minimum:

1. Can you do one or more training days remotely? Usually the cost is reduced in this case, and there are many benefits such as multiple people being able to join, the ability to record the session and reuse it in the future, and ultimately best use of time. With the world adapting to the spread of Covid-19, this is likely to become the norm for many.

However, try keeping remote sessions only to staff who is comfortable doing this – and support staff struggling with technology with face to face training.

2. If you have more than one home, try joining the senior staff together, cutting the cost in half. The more homes you have, the more cost efficient it can be. But bear in mind too many might shift a workshop environment to a less practical “classroom” approach which might not be ideal.

3. Look into alternative hardware options. Cheaper hardware usually means more headaches in the long run, but if you have a strong policy for hardware handling in place, it might be worth looking at all the options.

4. Financing is another option – ask your ECP provider if they can recommend anyone or do your own research if you’re more comfortable doing so. It’s not unusual to see single Care Homes splitting the implementation cost across 12 or 24 months.

Picking an ECP is invariably a decision to which Care Providers say “I don’t know how I did not do this earlier” since it’s one of the quickest returns for a business which relies so heavily on data. You can split the benefits into tangible (direct saving in cost) and intangible (indirect saving in cost) savings. When you take notice of intangible savings is when you truly realise the advantages of an ECP.

1. Tangible savings: stationery, paper, printer leasing, printer ink, files, binders, pens, you name it. Any expense you currently have with paperwork is almost immediately reduced to almost zero. Archiving is another factor you will realise in the mid to long term: whether you store your archived paperwork in a shed, your attic, a room, or externally with a storage company, this is either direct capital or an asset that you will be saving: usually this means you will either make significant savings or be able to have an extra room in your care setting.

2. Intangible savings:

Adopting an ECP is not a question of if but when. More and more care providers are adopting ECP, which is giving them a business advantage over other providers who are still reliant on paper-based records. More emphasis is being placed upon the value and benefits ECP can provide, with even the likes of inspectors and commissioners endorsing using this approach to recording care. Take advantage of this by comparing the already mature ECPs in the market since it’s not a new sector anymore, and you will quickly reap the benefits described in this article. 

????Tip: reflect or measure how long it’s taking your senior team to do audits, reporting, and staying on top of care plan reviews. This should be a great foundation for how much you will be able to budget in your decision. Repeat the same exercise for your costs on staff recruitment, retention, and overall happiness in writing paper notes every day.

????Tip: When picking an ECP, prepare your meeting well by setting a list of criteria you are looking for by including not only required features but also what is included in the cost breakdown. The better prepared you are, the less hidden fees will surprise you.

????Tip: Moving to an ECP is a massive business decision. Ask your peers, local providers, and communities for a reputable provider rather than being driven purely by cost – cheap is not always best.

????Tip: Do not neglect the quality of Support and Account Management. An ECP requires a significant process of change management in your care provision, so think of it as a journey and never as an end goal.

To download this guide as a PDF, click here. If you’d like to find out more about what Nourish can do for your electronic care planning needs, then drop us a message or book a demo today!

The UK’s population is growing rapidly, and the over 60s make up over 20% of us. With people living longer, there is expected to be over 3 million people aged 85+ by 2041. With this in mind, the growing number of elderly people living in residential care homes is also set to increase dramatically, but are they getting the quality of life they deserve in social care?

The ever-growing population means an increasing demand on the social care sector, and while we often think of care in a physical sense, mental health care is of equal importance and can often be overlooked due to not recognising the signs. This is something that could be said for society in general, and in recent years there has been a huge emphasis on recognising mental health and just how big an impact it can have on our lives.

The World Health Organisation reported that around 15% of those aged 60+ suffer from a mental disorder and have said that mental health problems are often under-identified by healthcare professionals as well as older people themselves, as the stigma surrounding these conditions contribute to making people reluctant to seek help.

Those in care homes may be more far more susceptible to these challenges for a number of reasons. Depression and loneliness are extremely common in the elderly, and being in an unfamiliar setting or environment can often be distressing (particularly for those who also have Dementia), so that initial transition from independent life into a social care setting is one of the most important times to be conscious of the possible signs of declining mental health.

Despite the fact we’re all living longer and staying active into later life, there is still a stigma around getting older. This is not something that should be feared, and the care that is provided to the elderly should be reflecting this key message. I’m sure most of us would struggle with the thought of getting older if it means we lose the ability to do certain things independently, which is why it is important that those in care experience very the best quality of life possible, maintaining both their dignity and their happiness.

This is best achieved through a person-centred approach to care. The person-centred approach is all about understanding the individuals’ needs and providing a unique care routine that works for them, rather than treating everyone the same. What works for one person may not for another, so here are five ways you can help improve the mental health and well-being in elderly care homes

The best way to keep the mind healthy is to keep it stimulated and active, which is why it’s so incredibly important to encourage elderly residents to participate in a number of activities throughout their week. A sign that they might not be feeling themselves is a sudden disinterest in socialising, engaging in activities or doing things they usually enjoy, so if you notice someone is not joining in as much, consider why that is and think about how you could shake up their routine.

Better still, speak to them and find out what things they would enjoy or are in the mood to do. Activities should be of genuine personal interest to individuals in order to really enrich their lives, and what one person likes, the other may not. For example, some activities on offer may not be suitable for some people with physical or learning difficulties, so it’s important to come up with a range of different activities that can be enjoyed by all.

Just because someone has moved into a social care setting, doesn’t mean they instantly lose their own individualism and identity, it’s important for carers to strongly encourage those they support to continue to embrace their personal identity.

If you want to improve mental health and well-being in elderly care homes, then simply having meaningful conversations about someone’s past, looking through old photos, and sharing stories with them, will allow carers to connect with those they support on a much deeper level; as a person rather than a “patient”. By finding out more about someone’s personal history and life, carers can better cater to their individual needs in care, and allow them to feel like they are still living their own life or have a sense of independence.

Dignity is extremely important to identity, and elderly people in care should be encouraged to do as much for themselves as possible, wherever possible, and this can be as simple as picking out their clothing and deciding what they want to do or eat that day.

Relationships are an important, if not an integral, part of who we are, and therefore play a huge role in the improvement of mental health and well-being in elderly care homes. As we have mentioned, loneliness is one of the primary causes of depression in the elderly population, and for some, their carer may be the only person they see or speak to all day. Those in residential care should be encouraged to stay social as often as possible, with visits from family and friends, or speaking on the phone/video calling if they are not able to come in person.

Having familiar faces in a care setting can be extremely helpful for someone trying to relax and feel more at ease, especially if they are in a new environment for the first time. It’s good to encourage friendships with others in care, and to form bonds with people they have daily interactions with. If someone suddenly stops wanting visitors or to interact and engage with other residents, this is almost definitely a sign that they are not quite feeling themselves or are feeling anxious or and depressed.

If someone is dealing with pain physically, this often affects the mind too. It is important to be incredibly thorough when checking in with those you support, as pain may not simply and clearly present itself to the eye. A lot of people can be embarrassed about an issue or not want to speak up and cause a fuss, so be sure to talk to them, and encourage them to open up about any discomfort they may be experiencing.

It is also really important to take physical or digital notes on any physical ailments, so that the right care can be provided and you can allow them to be seen by a healthcare professional if needed. This means you can tailor the care they receive and any activities they do to ensure maximum comfort and well-being.

Everyone’s mood fluctuates, and this could be for a number of reasons which are all very normal. It could be they’re simply not a morning person or they get cranky when they’re hungry, but it’s important to recognise when dips in mood could be an indication of something more serious.

In order to improve mental health and well-being in elderly care homes, it’s worth keeping track and logging the changing moods of the people you support. In doing so, you can gain a deeper understanding of trends (low mood linked to medication, for example), or whether there is something else that needs to be addressed.

Depression can present itself in many different ways which can often be so subtle that they get missed entirely. A person-centred approach to care requires carers to really get to know and understand the individual needs of those they support, so that they can quickly notice personality changes that might be a sign of depression or other mental health issues.

Those are our 5 ways to improve mental health and well-being in elderly care homes. At Nourish, we’re all about keeping people connected and promoting person-centered care. For more information on how we can help improve the health and wellbeing in your care homes, get in touch with the team or book a demo.