Care homes to trial new technology

CARE homes in Lincolnshire are trialling a new digital system which allows staff to carry out some clinical tasks, saving time and reducing pressure on the NHS.

Lincolnshire Care Association has helped to introduce a digital observation kit into care homes in the county to enable workers to take clinical observations and then transmit them digitally to the NHS clinician who needs to read and monitor them.

Working with the NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board, LinCA has also published a delegated healthcare activities governance toolkit to provide guidance for care professionals.

“The aim of the new system is to delegate the taking of clinical observations such as blood pressure or blood oxygen levels, which can be a vital measurement for older people, without delegating the decision making,” said Melanie Weatherley MBE, chair of Lincolnshire Care Association.

“This is nothing new – parents are trained to undertake highly technical interventions to support children living with complex conditions, for example.

“And diabetics have managed their own blood glucose and insulin successfully for many years. If we become unable to do these things for ourselves we have to rely on health professionals, even when the knowledge and expertise of a trained nurse is not really needed.

“Delegation of some of clinical activities to carers can produce better outcomes, especially if it is seen as an innovative choice rather than a way to manage scarce resources.”

Melanie added that during the Covid-19 pandemic interactions between residents and clinicians was reduced and care home staff were encouraged to support them with dressings, insulin management and physiological readings. When the pandemic ended many of us wanted to carry on doing this work, if done safely and if the extra contribution and responsibility were recognised,” she said.

“If delegation is done properly it can give the person who draws on care and support more control as well as giving care staff opportunities to develop. Delegating some of the more routine aspects of healthcare can give our skilled health colleagues more time to devote to those who need their knowledge and expertise.” their new feathered friends, prompting them to reminisce about animal encounters they’d had in their younger years.