Digital Care System Supports Rusthall Lodge

Rusthall Lodge Care Home's digital care system helps to support everyone at the care home in Kent

Rusthall Lodge Care Home in Kent has been using Person Centred Software’s digital care system, Mobile Care Monitoring, since 2018. Staff are able to evidence care interactions and update care plans for residents at the 69-bed care home using the digital care system.

Registered Manager and Director of Care, Hillary Taylor says, “Like many care homes, we had maintained a paper-based solution but recognised we had to move to a technology-led solution. Carers are our most important asset as front-line staff. So in October 2018, we introduced Person Centred Software’s digital care system. It’s been specifically designed to remove unnecessary admin for carers and nurses.”

Real-time recording

“Care staff can now update resident records in real-time.” says Hilary. “Due to the commitment of our staff and the drive behind it, we embedded the system throughout all 90 staff at the care home within six months.”

“Due to the digital care system, staff spend less time documenting care, yet we have much more clarity about what our residents’ support needs are. As we have a Board of Trustees, it is crucial that we give them quality assurance. Now, auditing and reporting is much quicker and clearer.”

Digital care system has been a great investment

Hilary continues, “We have gone from our paper-based care plans where four daily records were written, to over 30 personalised entries for each resident per day using the digital care system.”

“Residents’ records are much more detailed. This is because using icons and a keyboard is more enjoyable for staff than writing care plans with paper and pen. If anyone is worried about spelling, they speak into the device to use the voice-to-text transcription. Everyone uses apps and phones in their daily lives now, so staff are very comfortable recording digitally. Residents like it as well.”

“Everything we document is traceable now. We can investigate any concerns easily; we can audit care plans and assessments due for review at the click of a button. The external professionals and agencies we work with like the system too,” Hillary adds.

Technology is leading the way in social care

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) recognise the benefits of digital care systems and other technology installed at Rusthall Lodge. Hilary says, “Rusthall Lodge has embraced technology by bringing on Mobile Care Monitoring, Atlas E-MAR, and ELFY E-Learning For You, our staff eLearning platform and other technologies in the last two years. Technology assisted in maintaining our Good CQC rating at our last inspection.

“Technology has been and is a wonderful investment at Rusthall Lodge”

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