Innovation in home care can’t solve every challenge domiciliary care providers face. If you are a care provider in the UK, you probably feel extremely held back by the low price paid for care and the impact this has on staffing, your capacity and even care quality.
That said, the fact you have found yourself here shows you want to succeed despite these challenges, to utilise the best new innovative ideas, approaches and technologies, to help improve care quality and safety, in an efficient and sensible way.
Our sector is not necessarily the quickest to utilise these innovations. Probably in no small part due to the financial pressures faced and the disparate ways in which innovation is shared across the UK’s care networks, if at all.
At The Access Group we provide a complete suite of home care software to tens of thousands of home care services across the UK, through our relationships with clients and partners like the Home Care Association, National Care Forum and others, we stay ‘plugged in’ to how home care providers are innovating.
So, while I can’t help you getting a better rate for care services, I can show you some of the best examples of innovative home care and how they could help you and your care services.
In this article I will highlight some key examples of innovation in home care, including self-managing teams, artificial intelligence, next generation telecare and robotics.
After reading it, you should have a selection of practical approaches and technology that you can consider using in your own care services, and which you should avoid.
Assistive technology (AT) has transformed the way care services support people with age-related conditions and disabilities. These assistive technologies are beginning to play a crucial role in care homes, as they enhance the quality of life for residents, promote independence and improve overall health and wellbeing. From helping people living with dementia maintain cognitive function, to aiding those with physical impairments to perform daily tasks, assisted technology offers a wide range of solutions.
The Access Group have been supporting care services across the world for over 30 years through digitisation. We know more than most about the fantastic impact technology can have on a business and how it can save time, money, space and resources in the long run.
As the use and development of assistive technology increases, we thought it would be a great idea to put together this comprehensive guide, so you can gain a better understanding of these devices and learn how they can improve the lives of your service users. We will take a closer look at the importance of assistive technology in care homes and provide examples of assistive technology being utilised to address a variety of needs.
Outcomes focused care is an approach in health and social care that concentrates on tailoring specific goals and outcomes to best suit an individual’s needs. It’s one of the most crucial ways to help improve both the quality and the continuity of care delivered.
But what is outcomes-focused care and how can the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework help to achieve better outcomes for adults who need care and support?.
With the UK population changing and almost 11 million people being aged 65 and over, the needs for older people keep changing. The demand for social care keeps increasing and social care providers are struggling to meet the demand.
At The Access Group we are aware of the challenges facing the social care market and the importance of improving the quality of care delivered.
By the end of this article, the importance of outcomes focused care and what it is will be explained as well as, what the benefits are from using this approach, and how to overcome challenges when implementing outcomes focused care to get the best outcomes possible, prolong independence, and improve the overall health and wellbeing of your community.
Increasing independence in health and social care is not just a goal it is a way to improve an individual’s quality of life. With over 3.2 million people being aged 80 or over in the UK and many of them living with more than one chronic condition, being able to facilitate independence so they can live independently for longer has never been more so important. It helps to both reduce the burden on the NHS and families to delay future care needs.
Our ageing population shows that more people are living longer lives with potential additional needs which come from old age. Both the government and The Care Act 2014 are aiming to ensure people can live independently in their homes for longer to help delay future care needs and prevent individuals feeling they have lost their independence.
But you may be wondering what exactly does independence in health and social care mean, why is it important, and how best can care providers and local authorities facilitate it?
At The Access Group we work with providers of care, the NHS and local authorities. Though this we’re well acquainted with the challenges facing the social care market and how important it is for individuals to be more proactive and independent in managing their health to reduce their dependency on clinical support, care homes, and carers. Our Assure offering allows individuals to live a home longer safely whilst reassuring loved ones support is there when they need it.
This article will review what it means to promote independence in health and social care as well as how to maintain independence so individuals can live at home longer to delay future care needs and reduce the dependency on care homes, by delivering more proactive care. After reading you will have a greater understanding of what independence means and what you can do to promote and support it.
Community housing technology enabled care services are ever-growing in demand just like technology enabled care services in general.
With the analogue to digital telecare switchover happening imminently, there has never been a more crucial time for housing associations to invest in easy-to-use and effective technology-enabled care to increase independence and provide better housing support.
But what are community housing technology enabled care services and why are they important?
At Access Technology Enabled Care (Access TEC) we are aware of the challenges when implementing digital telecare in the housing sector and we want to make the transition as smooth as possible to ensure that residents get the support they need to achieve their independent living goals.
This article will review what community technology enabled care services are, why they are important, as well as the challenges that can occur in providing these services to your residents, so you can have the best methods in place to overcome these barriers and ensure that each resident receives the housing support needed.
Telehealth vs face-to-face care has been a big discussion since the usage of telehealth services grew dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. Challenges across the health and social care market including the increases in demand, waiting times, and dependency on health and social care professionals are just some examples of the difficulties health and social care providers face.
Both telehealth and telemedicine services allow an alternative approach to help health and social care providers manage waiting times better to improve outcomes, reduce burnout, and deliver better person-centred proactive care.
But which option is better? Does telehealth work better with some groups than others? Or is a hybrid approach the best way to deliver more outcomes-focused care that concentrates on every individual?
At Access Technology Enabled Care, we know that both telehealth and telemedicine services make accessing health and social care easier by being more flexible with scheduling visits whether it is in person or virtually. We want to make it easier to implement telehealth across your community so you can improve your outcomes and concentrate on what matters to the individual.
By the end of this article, you should know all there is to know about the best ways to use telehealth services and when in-person care is better depending on every individual needs.
The difference between policy and procedure is subtle but important. Put simply, policies are rules to follow, and procedures are step-by-step instructions on how to follow those rules. Policies and procedures ensure that everyone in your organisation is on the same page and understands what is expected of them.
At The Access Group we work with thousands of providers in health and social care for whom their policies and procedures form the backbone of their service. Policies and procedures each play a distinct but vital role in shaping organisational culture and codifying good practice.
Where policies and procedures are not properly defined and promoted, organisations may incur risks to staff and clients, regulatory breaches, loss of reputation and even enforcement action (including fines) from the regulator. Furthermore, policies and procedures need to be continually evolving to keep pace with the ever-changing regulatory landscape.
In this article I will explore the difference between policies and procedures in the context of health and social care. By understanding the difference, you will be able to improve the policy and procedure management of your organisation to ensure you provide safe and high-quality services.
CQC Regulation 17 is central to leadership and standards for health and care providers in England. People can underestimate the significance governance in health and social care has when it comes to ensuring quality services, safeguarding individuals and meeting regulatory standards.
The health and social care sector are constantly changing. Whether it’s the care standards, inspection framework or the health and safety procedures, this sector needs to be able to adapt in order to thrive. The CQC (Care Quality Commission) plays a pivotal role in overseeing regulatory sectors in England, with Regulation 17 standing as the foundation for governance excellence.
To help you understand the intricacies of CQC Regulation 17, we at The Access Group have created this article offering insights into its significance, its role in fostering good governance and the broader implications for health and social care. With over 30 years of experience working with health and social care services, we know how to support this sector, maintain compliance and help care services thrive.
Confidentiality in health and social care is essential to forming trust within the sector. It forms an ethical foundation that respects the dignity and privacy of individuals receiving care. Whether it involves respecting someone’s privacy or another person’s preferences, the duty of sharing information is just as important as the duty to protect confidentiality.
We at The Access Group understand the importance of sharing information and managing confidentiality in health and social care. We have been working with care services for over 30 years and with help from our experts, have put together a guide to confidentiality in health and social care so you can understand the complexities surrounding this vital concept.
Commissioning cycles for social care can vary across different local authorities. The social care needs of a local authority can change continuously so it is vital procedures are in place to accommodate that so every individual gets the care they need when they need it.
But, what are the best ways to do this?
With the NHS pushing local authorities to use both population health management and strength-based approach, it can get complicated when figuring out how best to commission care in your local area to accommodate to your local community’s needs whilst following specific approaches, and aiming to reach national targets.
Whether you are a care provider or a care commissioner it is vital to understand the commissioning cycle definition and how to adapt it to meet the care needs of your local area. With budgets so limited it is crucial to have methods in place that re-evaluate the care delivered to ensure the best care quality at the best price is always delivered.
At The Access Group we have encountered many local authorities using cyclical models to define requirements, select providers, and evaluate their services.
This article will review what the commissioning cycle is in social care, why it is important, as well as breaking down the commissioning cycle stages and what the benefits are from using technology in every step of the commissioning cycle to enable better commissioning, better outcomes, and better quality of life for the residents in your local community.
