Staff management Instead, we should look for immersive


and convenient learning solutions that are mobile first and use a variety of learning methods. Video content, podcasts and community learning are where we need to go. Finally, if we want to transition learning


and development from a box-ticking exercise to something that enables staff to truly develop themselves professionally, we must put ownership in the hands of workers. There is an opportunity to use technology to build solutions that do this.


Enabling staff-centric working patterns For many years, the majority of care providers have used traditional techniques to manage increasingly complex rostering. In normal times, paper-based rosters stuck on the wall and a manager armed with a telephone were enough to ensure the smooth running of a service. Covid-19 put pressure on those


systems. Providers became swamped with requirements around testing and vaccinations. Rotas became increasingly dynamic as staff were off sick or self- isolating. The rota was out of date the moment it was printed. Many of these dynamics are here to stay and care providers must be ready to manage their workforce through situations that turn on a dime. Technology can provide a solution


to these problems. There are many providers of workforce management platforms in the market that allow efficient management of staff through ever-changing situations. The goal for managers should be


to move from a stack of complex spreadsheets to a fully integrated HR system that manages the tiresome back office admin load and, most importantly, gets the right person into a position to provide great care with the minimum of effort. Investing in a workforce management


solution is not just about improving manager efficiency. By giving staff a convenient app that allows them to manage their working patterns more flexibly, managers can improve employee engagement and reduce the risk of staff leaving to join another provider or an agency.


Changing attitude to change Historically, social care has suffered from a reputation of being slow to adapt and embrace new technology. If anything, the pandemic has shown that we are more than capable of adapting rapidly to meet an overwhelming challenge. As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic and adjust to ‘the new normal’, technology will and should become an increasingly important part of how we deliver our services and care. Yet technology should not be used for


technology’s sake. As they did through the pandemic, providers should first identify their biggest pain points and look to solve those accordingly. We should be asking ourselves where our greatest inefficiencies currently lie and where we can use technology to build a solution. Innovation and digital transformation


is a team game. Everyone across the organisation needs to buy into the process. Too often skills and knowledge gaps are a barrier to adoption at ground level. Providers should take the time to educate and train their staff to support innovative initiatives.


Where do we go from here? As we cautiously emerge from the otherside of Covid-19, providers will have to deal with a whole new set of challenges. Low care home occupancy and workforce mental health issues are new themes that will be with us for some time. Old world challenges like inadequate


funding models and problems with recruitment and retention have not gone away. As we finally take the time to breathe after the systemic shock of Covid-19, we will realise that the head


We have demonstrated our ability to rise to the challenge and we must take that confidence with us into the recovery phase and beyond


August 2021 • www.thecarehomeenvironment.com Dr. Charles Armitage


Dr. Charles Armitage is a doctor turned chief executive and co- founder of Florence. He is passionate about improving care services for all, with a commitment to advancing ways for staff to provide quality, compassionate care. Charles and Dan Blake founded Florence to help the social care workforce take control. They believe that for too long the UK’s under-funded, over-stretched system has pushed more social care people to leave than to stay, with ever-growing vacancies and Covid-19 adding to the pressure. Florence was built to be the backbone of support, with the goal of fixing the broken social care staffing model for good.


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winds we have always faced are still blowing strongly. Yet we have learned one important


lesson from the pandemic that we would do well to remember. When the chips were down and we faced pressures that we could never have predicted, more often than not we were able to meet those challenges. We moved fast, adapted and innovated and it was this movement that meant residents and service users continued to receive the highest quality of care. We have demonstrated our ability to


rise to the challenge and we must take that confidence with us into the recovery phase and beyond. Technology is not the panacea for social care but, when used effectively, it can be the foundation that allows everyone to do what they signed up for: helping millions of people to live the most fulfilling, safe and happy lives that they possibly can.


TCHE


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