What is the digital care homes project?
This project aims to help care homes adopt digital tools that will improve the quality of their care, help them work more efficiently, and streamline communication with GPs.
The first phase of this is a period of discovery, where we make connections with registered managers and learn about how they currently approach day-to-day tasks such as:
- ordering medication
- organising multi-disciplinary team meetings
- storing resident records
- communicating with GPs
The goal is to understand the challenges care homes face, and help them identify how they could improve their processes by, for example:
- using EMIS proxy to order medication
- using MS Teams to organise and attend MDTs, and speak to GPs
- implementing digital social care records
- communicating with the NHS by using NHSMail
If you are a registered manager of a care home and would like to be involved, please email digital.carehomes@onecare.org.uk.
What can care homes expect on a visit?
When a care home agrees to take part, one of our digital support officers will arrange a visit. On their first visit, the team will be able to perform some quick fixes, e.g. plugging in webcams. However, the initial focus is on identifying digital challenges care homes face, before returning to provide more comprehensive support and training at a later date.
The project does not extend to purchasing hardware or procuring e.g. better broadband contracts. Wherever possible, we will signpost resident managers to organisations who are able to assist with this.
Once digital issues are identified, we can then support registered managers to implement changes that work for them and their business. We are happy to provide an NDA to assure that all patient and commercial information is held in strict confidence.
Accessing our support and training is entirely the choice of registered managers, but we aim to help them see the benefits of using digital technology in their organisations.
For more information, or if you would like your care home to participate, please get in touch.
What do care organisations need to take part?
Completing the NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) and achieving ‘Standards Met’ is required for organisations to use NHSMail, which in turn will allow them to adopt the digital tools mentioned above. If you are a registered manager and your care home hasn’t yet completed the DSPT and met the required standards, please contact Care and Support West who will be able to assist.
Contact us to arrange a visit and take part.
What is One Care?
One Care is a Community Interest Company (CIC) supporting and representing 24/7 general practice in Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG). It works with general practices to help them run their businesses, represent them in at-scale discussions in the wider healthcare system, and assist them to pilot innovative ways of working. It also sometimes uses its general practice expertise to work with organisations outside our sector or local area, as with this project. Read more here.