Decision ref
0109 2022/23
Decision date
24/11/2022
Portfolio
Adult Social Care and Health
Wards
All wards
Title
Implementation of IT solution for rotas, schedules and case management in Reablement Services
Summary
Utilise NHSX funding to implement an IT solution for Reablement Services that enables setting staff rotas, schedule client visits, implement client care plans and ensure CQC compliance.
Purpose
St Helens Councils were successful in a bid for digital transformation funding awarded by NHSX England. The ultimate outcome of the proposal is to provide a system that ensures patient safety, manages staff resources in an efficient and effective way and utilises a live communication aid for all staff and managers with the ability to provide accurate recording and reporting. Several systems are used currently with impacts on resource and effectiveness of service provision. The implementation of a robust IT solution can then be extended to other services such as Careline, Brookfield. As part of this report detail will be given about funding arrangements, procurement and implementation should approval be gained.
Background
Implementing staff rotas, scheduling client visits and completing paper files for use in service users’ homes is time consuming for staff as currently these are completed utilizing excel spreadsheets and is a very manual process. The main benefit of this project is to exploit the potential in an established digital solution to free up capacity in a high demand service, to reduce human error and increase patient safety and thus quality. Staff resource is a critical part of the Reablement Service. Currently many hours are used in coordinating rotas and scheduling visits. As a fast-changing service, with service users coming in and out of the service on a daily basis, it is difficult to keep staff up to date and on track in terms of completing their visits. It also proves difficult ensuring that calls have been completed in a timely manner. There are often gaps in rotas that require staff cover that are difficult to fill. With an IT solution with the necessary algorithm’s rotas can be updated and covered with ease, staff calls can be monitored, staff undertake visits that are logistically close, staff will be updated on a live basis rather than phone calls and texts, and most importantly patient safety is ensured. Staff resource both at management level and on the ground will be used with more effect and efficiency with the potential to increase capacity. An IT solution will negate the need for manual rota inputting and paper files in service users’ homes. St Helens Council were recently successful in a bid for funding an IT solution for reablement services. The funding has been acquired from NHSX England which is an amalgamation of NHS England and NHSX digital productivity. The award is for 52k with a match funding amount of 25k from integrated health and social care (IHSC). The digital solution is to implement software that will create and update staffing rotas; schedule client visits; enable call monitoring; create client care plans and allow staff to input information relevant to case management e.g. medicine management, personal care, meal provision; CQC compliance with the ability to complete mock inspections. Team Leaders will have access to a dashboard and visiting staff will have access to an application that can be used on a mobile device. Current practises are time consuming due to using spreadsheets that need manually updating, sometimes on an hourly basis, and updates being sent to staff via text, email, telephone call. It is approximated that 70% of Team Leaders time is spent coordinating rotas and updating scheduled visits. It is expected that the IT solution will have a significant impact on Team Leaders time enabling them to develop other areas of the service and also remove the need for paper files in clients' homes. Accessing the system on a mobile application will enable staff in the community access to their rota's and visits that are planned for that day. Staff will also be able to produce up to date records and completed tasks in the care planning module using voice recognition tools. The IT solution opted for has a portal that enables clients and their family to access records so they have live information about their loved one. It is also anticipated that the service will become more fluid and increase the ability to provide additional care hours to support hospital discharges and support crisis packages of care in the community.
As part of St Helens digital strategy the following actions have been identified:
Commit to system development and technology that will assist our own workforce in the delivery of their service, being fit for purpose, process driven, secure, robust, mobile and reliable. Allowing our officers to work on their chosen technology and system without breaks in service delivery.
Mobile technology will be reflected in both customer facing and workforce systems to allow for better access to services and efficiencies in the workplace.
Three software providers were identified from the G Cloud Framework and evaluated against a specification produced as part of the NHSX funding bid. One Plan, Carefor and Access all presented demonstrations of their systems and all met the specification to undertake scheduling, rotas and care planning but of the 3 providers there was only Access who could provide a care compliance module for CQC registration. Because of this they were evaluated as the successful provider. The cost of a 2 year contract is £39324.70 with the option to extend.
A call off contract will be completed and IT questionnaire completed. Upon implementation of the software staff training will progress and likely to be in place for up to 10 weeks. Ongoing support will be offered after this time if required. There will be a super user for the system who will be the key link person to the supplier. The proposal has been approved at the IT assessment programme board.
Conclusion
The main benefit of this project is to exploit the potential in an established digital solution to free up capacity in a high demand service, to reduce human error and increase patient safety and thus quality. Staff resource is a critical part of the Reablement Service. Currently many hours are used in coordinating rotas and scheduling visits. As a fast-changing service, with service users coming in and out of the service on a daily basis, it is difficult to keep staff up to date and on track in terms of completing their visits. It also proves difficult ensuring that calls have been completed in a timely manner. There are often gaps in rotas that require staff cover that are difficult to fill. With an IT solution with the necessary algorithm’s rotas can be updated and covered with ease, staff calls can be monitored, staff undertake visits that are logistically close, staff will be updated on a live basis rather than phone calls and texts, and most importantly patient safety is ensured. Staff resource both at management level and on the ground will be used with more effect and efficiency with the potential to increase capacity.
Reports will be set up in the system working in partnership with the IT provider. Staffing hours will be reported and the number of service users supported in a set period. Outcomes of service provision will also be monitored such as the need for ongoing social care support. Training will be reported identifying where training needs to be completed and updated. Reporting in the system will link to CQC guidelines and compliance ensuring staff and the service are meeting necessary standards. When the system proves successful provision could be extended to other services in Integrated Health and Social Care. Both quantative and qualitative benefits will be recorded using baseline date pre project implementation. It is possible to attribute a cost to each reablement hour saved due to the implementation of an effective ERostering system. We will also measure the impact qualitatively by monitoring customer and staff feedback.
Risk Implications
Ongoing financial cost of implementing a new IT solution with ongoing license and upgrade charges;
Staff engagement and development in IT skills;
Utilising a system with the capacity to develop and link to other platforms and applications.
Measures to Redress Risk
Staff training and support will be given and super user to offer ongoing support on a day to day basis.
Upgrades and development costs will be monitored. At the end of the 2 years a business case will be provided to explore areas of funding available.
There is minimal impact if there are not links to other platforms but would be advantageous.
Declarations Of Interest
None
More information
Please contact Ottilie Jones on 01744671652
