Case Study: Butterflys
Butterflys Care Group are a family-run care business, operating care homes and care services in Essex since 2004.
Butterflys have been working with The Access Group since 2019, so we wanted to explore how they’ve built a relationship with Access since coming onboard, and the ways they’re using our software solutions - either to resolve problems within their care provision or to optimise their existing workflows.
What made them choose Access and how has the relationship grown? How are they using Access Care software solutions to help support their care business? Read on to find out more.
About Butterflys:
About Butterflys:
The Butterflys Care Group started up in 2004, and operate from four care home locations in Essex:
- Braintree
- Walton-on-the-Naze
- Alresford
- Colchester
For these areas, they offer an impressive 15 different care services, ranging from in-home care and supported living, to overnight or respite care, mental health support, disability support, and even specialist care for brain or spinal injuries.
All four care homes hold a GOOD rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which serves as proof of why Butterflys came to exist in the first place: a desire to support people to reach their full potential.
Problems & Challenges:
Prior to using Access solutions, Butterflys was paper-based for its record keeping, notes, and most communication. This inevitably had a deadline for overhaul in order to meet standards set by the CQC, as well as the UK government and to meet the expectations of the public; individuals or their families who would be engaging to seek care provision.
On top of this, Butterflys are a fast-growing business, and the ease of scaling up in size is better supported by digital products, as is oversight of operations and working practices. This all then came to a head in 2020 with the Covid-19 pandemic and the need for alternative approaches to working to account for social distancing, risk of spreading infection, and the access to resources whilst working from home or isolating.
Digitisation is a topic that we at The Access Group have explored in great detail, as the risk involved in lacking digital tools means being unable to work as quickly, effectively, or safely as possible due to outdated practices and principles.
How Access got involved
Speaking with Rebecca Penn, a Registered Manager at Butterflys, she referred back to the Covid-19 pandemic pressure that served as a trigger for seeking help. That help came in the form of The Access Group, and soon after the first of our solutions was onboarded – Access PeoplePlanner.
The PeoplePlanner solution is a multi-functional piece of software that combines employee management, client and funder management, planning and rostering, real-time monitoring, reconciliation, finance and payroll into one easy-to-use system. With these overviews in place, manager can save time on their planning, carers can save time on viewing their assigned duties or tasks, and information is available quicker – all to the benefit of the clients receiving care. Time saved elsewhere means more time for them, and more time for their carers to be properly rested and engaged with their clients and their work.
For Butterflys, they had three main objectives that they wanted to achieve by onboarding Access products:
- To lower the risk of infection through improved control
- Quick access to client information from a centralised point
- A company-wide overview to ensure proper collaboration between services and colleagues
As a result of the success of Access PeoplePlanner, Butterflys also onboarded Access Care Planning (ACP) - our care solution designed for domiciliary care or local government service support – and Access Screening; a recruitment tool for background checks and industry compliance.
Our ACP solution keeps the individual at the centre of their care journey, all while digitising documents, providing a mobile app for care professionals on the go, and allowing real-time access to records.
The Results
Collaboration has gone well between Butterflys and The Access Group. We have three solutions currently in place with the care group, and the feedback we’ve received is that they’re enjoying the tools provided and steadily expanding their knowledge of the software.
Speaking to Rebecca again, she said: “The implementation process was good and the product training over a set period meant they were able to balance key work with the new education.”
For those not developing technology, the on-boarding process can be a bit nervy, but the response to the implementation of Access PeoplePlanner has been one of great appreciation for the quality of life improvements such as the rostering functions, and Access Care Planner’s review reminders.
Rebecca’s feedback was that with both APP and ACP in place, “Butterflys service delivery was much more punctual and provided much more structure for the company, allowing better care delivery and hopefully better care quality as a result.
Going Forward – How should you do it?
With three Access solutions currently in place, we can be proud that Rebecca’s colleague feedback is one of feeling well supported by Access and within the solutions we provide, and that she would certainly recommend The Access Group to others.
Her advice for new customers is to start small and simple. Steadily build up your solution ecosystem and gradually enhance it with additional software. When you are fully attuned to a new solution, then you can add extras to tailor the experience and take on more information.
Find out more about how you can use Access Care Planning. Speak to one of our care specialists to book a demo today.
