Medication
chance to learn how other care providers have implemented solutions including electronic care planning, electronic medication administration records (eMAR), medicines management, acoustic monitoring, circadian lighting, sensor technology, and telecare. The hubs are provider-led and hosted and showcase different combinations of digital technologies which have been embedded in their care settings. Participants have been able to benefit from well-established providers sharing their own, personal digital journey, including the adoption process, challenges and benefits, as well as the use of data in the delivery of data-enriched care. The Hubble Project is designed to use
the skills and experience of providers that have successfully implemented technology to increase standards across the whole sector and this collaboration will be vital to overcome ongoing and upcoming challenges while continuing to improve standards of care. As part of the project, Elizabeth Finn
Homes, which has nine care homes across England, hosted a series of virtual visits for other care managers. “Technology-enabled care is no longer
an optional extra. It is inherent to the provision of good care and at Elizabeth Finn Homes it really supports our residents, our staff and our managers,” says chief executive Richard Hawes. “Don’t think about it in terms of a quick
financial return on investment. It is much more about quality of care.”
Improving efficiency Central to improving quality of care is enabling staff to have the freedom to do more to improve residents’ day-to-day experiences. Although challenges around
insurance and indemnities will be a focus for senior managers, ensuring that staff on the ground have the time and resources to safely deliver and record medication compliantly can make a huge difference to each resident’s quality of care. The fact is, in the current climate,
providers will struggle to implement clear and consistent processes, and demonstrate compliance and accountability, without appropriate technology in place. Searching through multiple spreadsheets and paper documents not only takes up valuable time, it could also increase the chance of important details being missed. This is why medicine management
systems integrated with digital care plans are so important in reducing the admin burden on staff in all areas. At the moment, too many valuable hours are eaten away filling in different spreadsheets, typing, printing, scanning, filing, preparing reports and duplicating tasks a colleague has previously done. Reporting and compliance processes
may be non-negotiable but if they can be automated and, at the same time, more
Martin Lowthian
Martin Lowthian is quality, governance and compliance expert at care technology specialist The Access Group. Martin has held senior operational roles in some of the largest social care companies in the UK. He has advised the NHS on crisis response, achieved the first BS25999 accreditation in health care in Europe and led a major programme on business continuity planning and crisis management at King’s College Hospital in London.
November 2021 •
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com 29
accurate, it will free teams up to engage more with residents and their families. It is no coincidence that the Care
Quality Commission believes technology ‘can support good and outstanding person-centred care’ across the five key areas it assesses – including safety, leadership, efficient and effective use of resources and care.
Reference 1 Rai V., The impact of pharmacists working in care homes, NHS https://www.sps.nhs. uk/articles/the-impact-of-pharmacists- working-in-care-homes-varinder-rai/
TCHE
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