Matt Hancock says 'Technology used right is a catalyst for greater connectivity & empowerment' during care home visit

Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, saw how innovative technologies are being used to deliver exceptional standards when he met staff, families and residents at Forest Healthcare’s Bridgeside Lodge care home last week.

During his visit, Matt Hancock spent time being shown Mobile Care Monitoring, the home’s electronic evidence of care and digital care planning system provided by Person Centred Software.

Technology is a catalyst for greater connectivity and empowerment

In his speech, Matt Hancock discussed Bridgeside Lodge’s use of innovative technology, including the use of Person Centred Software’s system to evidence care and support. His speech outlined his priorities for the health and social care system, of which technology is a key priority as it is being recognised that, “Technology used right is a catalyst for greater connectivity and empowerment."

“Not only can the right use of technology save time and money, it can improve patient safety.”

He added, “[Bridgeside Lodge’s] electronic care planning system – on a phone – uses voice recognition, gives clinical staff better data about what’s happening to each patient, saves costs, and saves each nurse an estimated hour per shift, giving them more time to care.”

The Department of Health & Social Care created a video of Matt Hancock’s visit to Bridgeside Lodge to see how they’re using innovative technologies to deliver exceptional standards of care. The benefits for carers and managers of Mobile Care Monitoring are summarised as, "Staff use smart phones to log care plans and notes, saving an hour a day and reducing [physical pieces of] paperwork from 2000 pieces to 200 pieces a month." Whilst the Care App increases the number of care records evidenced, it decreases the physical amount of paperwork for care homes to complete.

Outstanding CQC report for Bridgeside Lodge

Jonathan Papworth, Director and Co-Founder of Person Centred Software says, “It is fantastic that Forest Healthcare’s success using technology to improve the quality of care is being recognised by The Department of Health & Social Care. The care home has already been recognised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for their use of technology to improve care. In December 2017, the use of Mobile Care Monitoring was cited as helping Bridgeside Lodge to achieve an Outstanding CQC report.”

The news release from CQC explains that ‘The effect of these innovations was that staff spent less time on completing their daily care notes and more time building meaningful and positive relationships with people. Consequently, people said they were feeling happy and safe at the home as staff always had time for them.’

Read Bridgeside Lodge's CQC report where Mobile Care Monitoring is cited