Case study

WCS Care is keeping carers closer to residents across 13 homes

WCS Care is a Warwickshire care home charity supporting residents across 13 homes. For almost a decade, the organisation searched for a digital care planning system that would genuinely work for frontline teams.

The goal was never to replace paper with a screen. WCS Care wanted a system carers could use naturally as they went about their work, without drawing them away from residents.

Using PCS Care (formerly mCare) and PCS Family (formerly ResHub), the charity has transformed how care information is captured, shared and reviewed. Today, teams record ten times more care interactions, save up to 90 minutes a day on documentation and give families a clearer view of daily life across every home.

The goal was never to replace paper with a screen

We spoke to Ed Russell, Chief Executive of WCS Care. Ed explained that his organisation needed a care planning system that supported the reality of care delivery, not just record keeping.

Residents receive support from different people across different shifts, and important information needs to move with them all the time. Staff need to capture details while they’re fresh, managers need visibility of emerging patterns and leaders need confidence in the evidence behind care decisions.

After reviewing systems for many years, WCS Care found that many solutions felt like digital versions of paper records or desktop software. They did not fit naturally into the flow of care.

The organisation needed a system that was simple for carers to use, while providing the detail required for handovers, compliance, quality assurance and family communication across 13 homes.

Staff gained a clearer picture across every shift

PCS Care brought care information into the heart of the working day. Using handheld devices and intuitive, icon-led technology, carers could record information quickly and easily as part of their normal routines. The system was straightforward to adopt because it worked alongside care delivery rather than adding another task to the day.

The biggest change was not simply moving from paper to digital records. It was creating a single, consistent view of care. Notes, observations, handovers and family communications became easier to capture, review and share, helping teams stay informed throughout every shift.

More time to spend where it matters most

Before PCS Care, staff often needed to leave the floor towards the end of a shift to complete paperwork.

With care information captured as part of the day, carers spent less time documenting and more time supporting residents. Across the organisation, teams recorded ten times more care interactions while saving up to 90 minutes a day on note-taking.

The impact was felt in everyday moments. Ed Russell said:

'We often hear from our carers how PCS has transformed their days. One carer in particular told us how she used to dedicate the last hour or so of each shift to completing paperwork. Now though, one minute before she’s due to go home, she’ll find herself playing carpet boules with the residents instead – something that she never would have been able to do before. I think that’s a great example of how the software changes the everyday work of carers.'

For WCS Care, that was a real measure of success.

Better handovers with fewer gaps

In a 24-hour care service, continuity depends on information moving smoothly between teams. PCS Care gives staff a consistent way to record updates and share information anytime, day and night. Important details are easier to access, reducing the risk of information being overlooked during handovers.

Ed Russell describes PCS as the ‘golden thread’ running through every shift. Rather than sitting separately from care delivery, information becomes part of it. Each observation, interaction and update helps build a clearer picture of a resident's wellbeing and support needs.

Earlier insight into changing needs

More complete records have also given WCS Care stronger visibility of residents’ wellbeing. By monitoring care more closely, teams can identify trends and take action sooner. Hydration is one example. PCS Care helps staff track fluid intake more consistently, making it easier to spot potential concerns before they escalate.

WCS Care saw a reduction in falls across 11 of the 12 homes where comparable data was available. Ed Russell also expects improved hydration monitoring to help reduce urinary infections.

The result is not just better reporting. It is better-informed care.

Greater transparency for families

For WCS Care, implementing PCS Family gave relatives a simple way to stay connected to daily life in the home.

Families can see updates, activities and moments from their loved one's day, helping them feel informed and reassured. Some relatives have compared the experience to checking Facebook over breakfast, giving them a regular window into life at the home.

Transparency is about more than communication. Families place enormous trust in care providers, and open, ongoing updates help strengthen that trust.

PCS Family also creates a clear record of family communication, helping teams evidence conversations, feedback and follow-up activity when needed.

Better information led to better care

WCS Care spent years searching for a digital care planning system that genuinely worked for frontline teams. What they found was much more than a replacement for paper records.

With PCS Care and PCS Family, care information now moves with residents, giving teams the visibility they need without taking carers away from the people they support.

Across 13 homes, staff record more, see more and spend more time where it matters most. The result is stronger continuity, greater confidence and better care for residents, families and teams alike.