Digitisation
that over 260 homes now have access to super-fast, secure fibre internet, meeting the kind of demand that comes from a more digitally native group of residents and relatives/loved ones while being able to prioritise traffic through the network to support all the latest generation of digital health tech and analytics. This is part of a bigger project to install
more secure Wi-Fi to provide greater coverage of this super-fast internet in each home. This development also involves the installation of a new digital telephone system, which improves the routing of calls between the home and the service centre, along with phone signal coverage around all areas of the home. By listening to the concerns of our colleagues, this project has improved workflow efficiency around the home and has also seen a consequential positive impact for residents who can now watch on demand TV, stream music, and make video calls without having to wait for the internet to work in the home. These changes have opened the taps for our internet speed and capacity, with feedback showing that this is really helping everyone across the home. There is less ‘dropping out’ and faster downloading with less buffering. There are fewer ‘not spots’ – meaning you do not have to walk somewhere else to input information because there is no Wi-Fi signal at the point of caregiving. Simplifying and integrating systems to eliminate the need for duplicate data entry has also improved efficiency and alleviated stress among colleagues. Having individual logins to drive better communication via Teams and Viva are also speeding up the process of learning and sharing. We will complete the roll out of the network, Wi-Fi, and telephony upgrade this year – fully underpinning the delivery of next generation care with the digitisation of care plans, which we are completing in parallel. Upgrading Wi-Fi networks across our homes is a key part of our strategy to listen, support, and implement practical solutions that enhance the daily operations of caregivers serving our communities. While Wi-Fi improvements might not immediately stand out as a digital transformation focus, they provide the critical foundation needed for successful, purpose-built technology solutions.
Purpose-built technology Upgrading existing infrastructure will open further opportunities to develop purpose- built technology that can have a significant
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It is vital that we listen to colleagues working on the frontline
impact on the day-to-day operations of the care homes themselves, and the best example of these systems is the progress we have achieved in implementing digital care platforms.
Much of the workflow in a care home setting is detailed and paper-driven, with a heavy administrative burden placed on nurses, carers, and other colleagues. This information is difficult to share and learn from even at a home level and is often siloed and not easily accessible. Digital tools may struggle to make quick,
informed decisions in resident care, as paper records are often lengthy and fail to show those longer-term trends. Listening to our colleagues, we recognise that paper care plans are inefficient, too long, and stored in multiple locations. Like all digital transformations, our efforts to digitalise care plans arise from engaging with our frontline colleagues who realise digital plans enable them to capture records at the point of care delivery.
Our implementation of this new digital care planning system will help us transform how we care for residents and respond to the feedback from our frontline colleagues about the care planning process. This implementation is one of the key priorities for digital transformation and the roll out of our new system got underway in September last year. Given the step-change that this will bring to our homes – and how imperative
is it that we get this right – the roll out is happening in phases, so we can ensure that each cohort of homes is comfortable with the new system and that learning is taken and shared before we move to the next cohort. This is a huge step for us, and one that we believe will optimise resident care and safety through the integration of new technology, creating more quality time that carers can give back to our residents, spending less time writing out their plans and more time directly delivering kind care. The insight we gain from the data these new tools provide will help us adapt our ways of working to redefine care. The insight available from thousands of resident interactions each day will enhance our ability to replicate excellence across our homes and ultimately deliver quality care at scale. Digital care planning will help ensure we are meeting the expectations of our residents, relatives, and, of course, the care regulators across the UK. The system will also provide real-time outputs of support incidents to both local and central teams, to give us oversight and visibility, and enable us to identify trends and opportunities to learn and enhance the care and safety of not only the care home that provides the insight, but of all of our 14,500+ residents. The work conducted on our digital care planning implementation is a perfect example of how integrated technology introduced across our homes should meet the same high expectations that we have in our own personal lives. Technology should be intuitive, something that our colleagues can rely upon, and they should not have to spend excessive time learning complex systems.
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com May 2025
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