What Regulators Say

Below are a selection of testimonials from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) which detail how effective the Nourish Care System is for creating a more structured and organised level of care within a variety of care homes and organisations. Our CQC compliant software ensures that the highest standards are met at all times. Read on to discover more!
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“Risks to people’s health and wellbeing were identified on their ‘main page’ of the electronic handheld system, meaning staff had the most up to date and relevant information immediately. Including people’s allergies, mobility risks and any behaviour that may challenge.”

– Allerton Care, January 2021 –

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“The service had implemented an electronic care planning system. Care records covered areas such as personal care, eating and drinking, skin care, memory and understanding and behaviours that can challenge. People’s historical and current family arrangements were referred to which meant staff had a holistic picture of people’s needs including their daily routines.”

– Kun Mor and George Kiss Home, Jewish Care, December 2021 –

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“The service had embraced new technology and had worked with the developers of the care planning record system to continuously improve and develop the systems. They were continually improving the staff’s access to important information via the service’s smartphones and had recently added an application so staff could access all of the service’s policies and procedures. Staff spoke highly of the technology in use and how it had meant they spent less time completing written records. This meant they could spend more quality time with people such as spending time talking with them.

There was a programme of quality checks and audits in place. For example, reviews of people’s care plans, pressure ulcer management, infection prevention measures, accidents/incidents, health and safety and medication. The registered manager was able to demonstrate how their quality monitoring systems had a positive impact on people. For example, the ongoing monitoring and review of people’s wounds had led to improved care of people’s wounds and skin. This had reduced the levels of skin damage people acquired whilst living at the service.

The registered and deputy manager undertook unannounced spot checks. In addition, managers were able to remotely access the electronic care planning system so they could check whether people were receiving their planned care and treatment”

– Muscliff Care Home, February 2019 –

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“The provider had systems in place to ensure the continuity of data access and management in the event of an IT failure. The assistant manager told us they had IT support twenty four hours a day, seven days a week from the company that supplied their electronic recording system. They showed us emails that had been exchanged on a Sunday evening when they wanted some support, which meant they didn’t have to wait to continue with their work. Data was stored on a Cloud based system, which enabled staff to have access from anywhere, using any laptop if required. This meant that if the laptops failed in any way, data could still be accessed to enable staff to continue to support people appropriately. Access rights to different levels of data were given to staff dependent on their roles and authority, ensuring confidentiality and security of people’s personal information.”

“The computerised planning system gave the provider, registered manager and deputy manager an oversight of the support being provided to people. We were told how this information can be looked at any given time day or night and see what care is being provided at that time.”

– Brook Lane Rest Home, April 2016 & January 2019 –

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“Nurses and care staff told us they could update people’s care plans and risk assessments more easily than using the previous paper-based system. They used desktop computers and handheld devices to record all information electronically. The registered manager and head of nursing also told us they could produce reports to monitor aspects of people’s care, for example, the date of the last care plan or risk assessment review or the number of people who were subject to a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) authorisation and when the registered manager needed to apply to the local authority for a renewal. Staff comments about the new care planning system included, “If I have the plan, I just log in and find things. Not like [paper] folders going in different places by different staff,” “It’s better than sitting down with paperwork. I thought it would be hard, but it’s like using your own phone,” “It’s very easy. You find all the information that you want, it’s there. Now we have time to talk to residents” and “You get more information about the person, their choices, likes, juice preferred, clothes preferred, religious needs.”

The provider had systems in place to monitor quality in the service and make improvements. The Care
Training and Quality Assurance Manager told us, “We changed the way we started doing provider visits as of April this year due to the new inspection regime. One advantage of Nourish [the provider’s electronic care planning system] is audits and elements of provider visits on care and care plans can be done remotely allowing me to be more effective when visiting the home. The new approach included a much slimmed down Action Plan that focusses on Regulations and potential impact of a breach and are limited if possible to two pages. [The service] has taken ownership of the actions and targets. I conduct a full visit where I look at all of CQC’s key lines of enquiry. I find using Skills for Care’s ‘Good and Outstanding Care Guide’ a useful.”

– Chesnut Lodge, Optivo, October 2018 –

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“Technology used in providing the service was easy for staff to use, and promoted timely and responsive care. The service had implemented a web-based, computerised system for care records, and was continuing to work with the software provider to develop this. This covered daily care records and any charts that were being kept for people, such as charts that showed when someone was assisted to reposition or for monitoring of their fluid intake. Staff told us the system was straightforward to use and helped them to keep accurate, up to date records. There were prompts to remind them when people needed particular aspects of care, such as assistance to reposition.”

– Burwood Nursing Home, August 2018 –

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“The new e-care plan documentation linked to risk assessments and also used a flagging system to alert staff to critical elements of care. For example, when a member of staff looked at the electronic care record for personal care, they could immediately see what had been written regarding what personal care they require, at what time and if for example, they wish to have their hair washed. The tick list on the system showed what care the resident had received. Once a care plan was electronic, warnings would be posted if a review had not been completed. These flags were seen by all managers.”

– Lady Sarah Cohen House, Jewish Care,  June 2018 –

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“Visitors were asked to sign in when they arrived at the home and we saw that confidential information was stored securely using an electronic system. Staff used this system to record information about people’s care and treatment and had individual secure logon’s to ensure that this data was protected.”

– Forest Hill House Nursing Home, Royal Bay, June 2018 –

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“A live record of people’s daily living health and social activities were recorded through an electronic care plan device. These were also discussed through daily handover and reflective practice meetings where the care staff team discussed any significant events that had been noted for people on the day any subsequent actions or monitoring that needed to take place to ensure the person received the appropriate care and support”

– Rubens House, Jewish Care, May 2018 –

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“The staff used electronic records which they could access through a handheld device. Staff said this gave them ready access to people’s changing needs and allowed them to monitor people more easily than paper records. The system also had a built-in prompt so that staff would know when to support someone. Staff entered records on the devices when they supported people and these showed people were assisted as set out in the care plans.”

– Pentlands Nursing Home, South Coast Nursing Homes, April 2018 –

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“The registered manager told us that the electronic system had improved care planning as it was easier for staff to access and keep up to date. For example, where people required monitoring for fluid intake, the system automatically added quantities when staff entered information on the system and made alerts if people were not having enough to drink. The system also allowed easy monitoring by managers to make sure that staff were repositioning people when this was an assessed need. The care plans we viewed were up to date, personalised to each person and easy to follow”

– Richmondwood Residential Care Home, January 2018 –

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Since our last inspection the provider had introduced an electronic care planning system. They had also provided staff with hand held tablets to ensure that staff were able to refer to people’s plans of care in all areas of the home and could report changes in people’s care and support needs in a timely manner to senior staff.

– The Old Vicarage, Royal Bay, November 2017 –

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