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CQC State Of Care 2021 12Dec, 2022
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CQC State of Care Annual Report 2021/2022

The CQC (Care Quality Commission) State of Care report presents the insights, trends and themes from inspection activity findings, information from the public and those who deliver care, and other evidence.

The main message is that the health and care system is ‘gridlocked and unable to operate effectively’, which means people are stuck – services are finding it very difficult to get and keep the right number of staff with the right skills to meet people’s needs.

Now more than ever, staff shortages and high vacancy rates are significantly impacting the quality of care. Care homes are short staffed, care givers feel burnout and managers suffer the administrative burden of bridging the growing gaps.

Cura empowers the care workforce in complex care settings

The challenge of how staffing levels can be optimised has never been more critical. Having an appropriate care management system in place is crucial not only to service users’ safety; it also plays a vital role in ensuring the right information and other critical data are on hand to enable planning for the right people in the right places.

A specialised digital system like Cura can improve the efficiency of care and help move away from reactive to proactive approaches. Cura’s aim is to empower the carer, freeing them from tedious paperwork to focus on service users and to ensure that every action is recorded and compliant with the CQC regulations.

Cura Roster, in conjunction with Cura Angel enables flawless scheduling of staff; Cura Angel is a mobile based care app that allows care staff to see and confirm their shifts and other updates, etc. The module comprises a user-friendly interface, including “drag and drop” and alternative planning views to provide a simple way to allocate suitable staff to shifts and evidence staffing compliance.

Here are some of the new features in Cura:

  • Enable delegation of rota management
  • Broadcast vacant shifts
  • Simplify Scheduling – create rotas with a few clicks, by location
  • Avoid over/under staffing due to scheduling conflicts and fill empty shifts
  • Drag and drop shift allocations
  • Better visibility of caregiver workload using colour-coded shifts
  • Clock In’ functionality to show location sensitive attendance
  • GPS/Facial recognition support for attendance evidencing

In a recent statement, Kate Terroni, Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care, Integrated Care and Interim Chief Operating Officer, said:

“In this report, we’ve highlighted examples of local innovation – joining up these pockets of innovation has the potential to help unblock the gridlock. However, this can only happen in conjunction with a real focus on planning, investment, and workforce.” Read more…

The time is now to invest in a digital workforce system! Given the complex nature of caregiving and its changing demands, the need for digitally driven care is vital to strengthen the workforce; increase staff retention, identify skills gaps, savings in time and cost, boost productivity and ultimately improve outcomes.

Cura Systems are equipped with a rich set of tools and features, and we are committed to bringing further innovations to benefit all involved in the provision of care. Cura is ready to support every home and ready to make a positive change to care delivery.

Technology is clearly pushing the boundary towards better care and Cura Systems is proud to be at the forefront of this change. We provide care homes providing complex care needs with the secure tools and support to achieve and evidence their CQC compliance and delivery of best of breed care.

If you are not yet using Cura within your care setting, it’s a good time to go paperless and reap significant benefits. Find out what you’re missing, contact us on 020 3621 9111 to see the most feature rich care home software in the market today.

Digital Care Planning Systems, Cura Care Plans 21Sep, 2020
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Using technology to deliver outstanding care

Like it or not, technology has crept into our daily lives. And now, it has a rapidly growing role in the long-term social care sector.  Tech-savvy care homes now use powerful Tablets and other mobile devices at the point of care delivery to ensure the appropriate care is delivered and on a timely basis.

Unlock Better Care with Cura's Care Planning Systems

Most Service Providers recognise the need for some form of digital support to cope with mounting paperwork but have been slow to embrace technology. Reasons for not adopting technology in care are as varied as the people they care for.  Most typically, there is a fear of change acerbated by a lack of understanding of how going digital will improve lives… for owners, for care managers, for care staff and for service users. 

According to McKinsey Digital, 45% of almost every job can go digital and the benefits range from increased output, higher quality to improved reliability. Technology also drives value in business in four ways: enhanced connectivity, automation of manual tasks, improved decision making and product or service innovation. Embracing these priorities will influence not only the pace of change within the organisation, but also strengthen and sharpen the competitive edge.

I have been a long-term proponent of the use of technology in the care sector and have concluded the care home industry is way behind in terms of adopting technology (as compared to other healthcare settings). Care providers need to look at ways to bring care to the next level by taking advantage of readily available advancements in care technology.

Transforming Care with Digital Technology during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Covid-19 has left a profound impact on care and it will continue to change the future of care.  The virus has put pressure on all aspects of the health system but nowhere more so than the care home sector.  New challenges have emerged that could not have been foreseen.  A “new normal” has to emerge to enable us to address the challenges care providers are now faced with and to be prepared for re-emergences of Covid or other Corona Virus like infections.  Therefore, we must pay attention to what makes delivery of caregiving easier and yet deliver a better quality of care.

Clinical aspects aside, I believe care providers will need greater reliance on technology with the use of smarter digital care systems such as apps to connect to a wider care ecosystem.  Having had hands-on experience in both paper-based and digital approaches, technology-based care systems trumps paper, every time!

Technology impacts the social and complex care sector

Technology is the most reliable driving force to improve outcomes!  Having worked as a Registered Manager managing mental health services, learning difficulty services and residential care services, I have seen how inaccuracies in paper-based care plans or medication recording can expose the service user to a seriously adverse impact.

Specialised digital care planning systems, such as Cura, can make a significant difference, for example, monitoring service users’ conditions accurately and in real-time by using customisable assessments and personalised care plans.  These are specifically designed for residential and nursing, or those providing specialised care to service users living with dementia, long-term chronic illnesses and those with autism and/or learning difficulties. Cura also provides the Managers access to all records in one place, allowing them to oversee all service user records in one secure, user-friendly environment….all this so vital when staff are quarantined and new HCAs are brought in to fill staffing gaps.

Choosing good care planning systems

Given the plethora of care management systems now available, it has become a mind boggling exercise to weed out the offerings that are good at a specific aspect of the provision of care.  It’s not just about adopting technology.  It is about managing the transformation to a new opportunity for the care providers to improve the way care is delivered; admission process, medication management, documentation of residents’ records, and sharing of vital information in the care ecosystem.

Most systems available on the market are very similar. They will have a database that can be accessed either through a laptop, tablet or mobile phone.  They all enable electronic care plans to be produced along with a whole host of other modules.  Some will have unique features such as medication management and the costs will vary from company to company.  The choice can be bewildering; so, how do you choose which system is best for your environment?  These are some aspects you will need to consider:

  • Care planning, monitoring and auditing
  • Alerts and reminders, with automated handover notes
  • The ability to devise your own forms
  • Flexible, configurable solution for complex care environments
  • Compliance and audit tools
  • Policies and quality assurance
  • Proactive support through the implementation process and thereafter
  • ...and a lot more!

Most importantly, acquiring and implementing a system is an ongoing partnership with the company that you choose. Are they sympathetic to your needs and requirements?  Do they listen and offer solutions to your specific problems?  Are they reactive to new needs?  Does your supplier share your vision of what going digital means?

Tips, Tricks & Traps

  • Avoid customised or bespoke care systems. They cost the earth and some!
  • Short-term trials are useless! Use Pilot studies… test & learn
  • Start as you mean to continue
  • Don’t automate a job…automate the process!
  • Check supplier references (not product references) & commitment to future of care
  • Redefine work…Reduction in staff is not the aim, at least not in the short term
  • Investment should be proportional to the benefit
  • Be selective – Start where digital records are likely to deliver the greatest return and the best outcomes.
  • Don’t try to automate everything at once.
  • Set reasonable goals for expectations and outcomes
  • Business Continuity – Power or ISP or Wi-Fi or Equipment outages?
  • Technology by itself delivers no value – needs excellent processes
  • Build IT capability – start at the top of the organisation

We are all guilty of doing the same thing repeatedly and expect different results. Ready or not, it’s time to embrace technology that will enable you to take greater control of the care operations and provide better care and better visibility to service users.  By adopting digital technology, it will afford you more flexibility in how, when and where you can access care records.  It will also reduce administration time for yourself and your staff, giving you time back to be spent with your service users.

It is always a challenging task to deliver outstanding care and the pressure to find ways on how to evidence standards of care and meet Care Quality Commission’s compliance requirements.  One important part of becoming a good care manager is to accept change, embrace what the future of care holds and start your digital journey.

Nurse with Senior Resident, Electronic Care Plans for Care Homes 11Oct, 2019
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Achieve Outstanding Care by Switching to Electronic Care Planning System

Technology in care has become increasingly important, transforming the way care is delivered. We have heard positive feedbacks from different care homes how they have improved their ratings by simply using electronic care plans, resulting in many people experiencing better and safer care.

Unlock Outstanding Care: How Electronic Care Plans for Care Homes Boost CQC Ratings

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has continually encourage health and social care providers to embrace innovative digital technologies to improve care delivery.

Kate Terroni, chief inspector of adult social care for the CQC has highlighted in her recent blog that more and more care providers have been using electronic care plans to deliver safe, effective, person-centred care at the touch of a button. Read the full article here: https://medium.com/@CareQualityComm/kate-terronis-blog-565c01e99817

Digitally-enabled care planning can offer significant benefits to service users. We provide care providers with our comprehensive home care systems and secure tools and support to achieve and evidence your CQC compliance and delivery of best breed of care.

Here are just some benefits from using electronic care plans for care homes:

  1. More control over health, safety and well-being of service users
  2. Better visibility of care operations
  3. Reduce paperwork, resulting in more time to care
  4. Improve communication, administration cost and care outcomes
  5. Empower care teams make better decisions

Speak to our customers to fully understand the Cura Systems way of going digital. Please quote “Cura means Care” whilst booking your Cura demonstration to get your free ‘Go Green Bag’.

Cura Systems, CQC Compliance 12Jun, 2018
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How technology assists in meeting CQC standards

Findings from the CQC’s initial programme of comprehensive inspections in adult social care published as ‘The state of adult social care services 2014 to 2017’ showed what the sector can learn. A key theme that shone through in terms of high-quality services was a clear focus on person-centred care. Staffs really get to know people as people, understanding their interests, likes and dislikes. Always bearing in the forefront of their mind, would I want this for my Mum?

Andrea Sutcliffe, chief inspector of adult social care for the CQC has continually urged health and social care providers to embrace innovative digital technologies to improve care delivery.

Although the CQC’s previous response to the adoption of technology during an inspection was down to that inspector’s personal views, they have made visionary moves in the recent revamp of the KLOEs to ensure care technology use is consistently reported on.

CQC Compliance: 5 Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOE)

If all care providers were transparent enough to give the CQC inspectors their own login access to their care agency systems they could (subject to appropriate consents) carry out a preview that will shorten their review time and lead to a better outcome for the provider.

After reviewing the evolved key lines of enquiry, prompts and ratings characteristics for adult social care services in depth it is undeniable that care management technology features will support your quest for CQC compliance.

Friends and family members also love that with some of the care management system and mobile care monitoring applications they can send old photos of the resident through so the care workers can talk about their past life experiences, as well as reviewing the residents care plans as frequently as they wish. They can upload photos to keep their loved one informed of recent happenings to keep them involved.

Several of the new KLOE prompts even explicitly mention the use of effective technology. If you do not yet use technology within your care setting it’s worth considering embracing it. Even if you do have technology in place are you utilising it to its best? We would suggest booking in a meeting with your account manager to make sure you are getting the most and using all the modules effectively.

Any care management software you chose should have many modules that will comprehensively evidence that your care home is run safely and that the service responds immediately, as well as giving your residents choice.

CQC RESPONSIVE 1.6: How is technology used to support people to receive timely care and support? Is the technology (including telephone systems, call systems and online/digital services) easy to use?
When set up correctly and consistently to your brand of care – your system will alert you when your care delivery is falling behind and offer instant prompts for staff to remind them what personal preferences and background the resident has and how to do certain tasks safely and correctly.

EFFECTIVE 1.3: How is technology and equipment used to enhance the delivery of effective care and support, and to promote people’s independence?

Some care technology will allow you to build electronic care plans together with the resident. They are able to choose what activities they would like to do and what goals and outcomes they want to work towards and achieve. People are continually changing their tastes and nutritional needs and some systems cannot only help you plan meals with residents but also report on patterns and highlight allergies. If there are any conflicts from the medication administration module with food or drink this will also be flagged up.

WELL-LED 4.6: Are information technology systems used effectively to monitor and improve the quality of care?

WELL-LED 2.8: How does the service assure itself that it has robust arrangements (including appropriate internal and external validation) to ensure the security, availability, sharing and integrity of confidential data, and records and data management systems, in line with data security standards? Are lessons learned when there are data security breaches?

Cura is leading the way with an innovative NEWS (National Early Warning Signs) score feature where critical actions are predicted, alerted and monitored. No other care system in the marketing currently has this functionality. Cura is also the first care management software to be fully GDPR compliant in line with the IG toolkit to ensure all the personal data you have on residents and staff is safe from malicious threat.

Everyone wants to be validated with an outstanding certification for all the effort and compassion put into creating and consistently delivering a person-centred care operation. After reviewing the KLOEs in some depth here are the take always to achieve outstanding for each line of investigation.

To achieve outstanding for CQC SAFE: 

There is a comprehensive ‘safety management system’. Innovation is encouraged to achieve sustained improvements in safety and continual reductions in harm. The service actively seeks out new technology and other solutions to make sure that people live with as few restrictions as possible. The service deals with issues of poor performance immediately and ensures staffs are supported to improve.

To achieve outstanding for CQC EFFECTIVE:

 People are fully involved and help to plan their meals with staff, taking nutritional advice into account. Staffs are aware of people’s individual preferences and patterns of eating and drinking and there is flexibility when needed or requested.

To achieve outstanding for CQC CARING: 

There is a strong, visible person-centred culture. The service ensures that staffs focus on building and maintaining open and honest relationships with people and their families, friends and other carers. There are creative ways of reflecting people’s personal histories and cultural backgrounds and the staffs are matched with people’s interests and personalities.

To achieve outstanding for CQC RESPONSIVE: 

The service has an innovative approach to using technology. People are involved in decisions about how it is or could be used. There is a rapid response to people’s changing care needs and advice on care and support for people and carers at the times they need. Staff use innovative and individual ways of involving people and their family, friends and other carers in their care and support plans, so that they feel consulted, empowered, listened to and valued.

To achieve outstanding for CQC WELL-LED: 

There is a rapid response to people’s changing care needs and advice on care and support for people and carers at the times they need. There is a strong framework of accountability to monitor performance and risk leading to the delivery of demonstrable quality improvements to the service.

Technology is clearly pushing the boundary towards better care and Cura System’s is proud to be at the forefront of this change.

We provide care homes with the comprehensive care management software, secure tools and support to achieve and evidence their CQC compliance and delivery of best of breed care.

We recommend you have a strategy meeting with everyone in your team to fully understand what they want from a care planning system. Create a wish list and do your research, Cura Systems employees have worked for many care planning system over the years and know many of the potential pitfalls, we can give you an unbiased check sheet to get you started. Just give us a call and reference this article. Our best advice is to see at least 3 care home software and have an actual trial and a play with it. If someone is trying to sell you a system from a PowerPoint presentation it usually means that part of the systems doesn’t work well or is merely just a concept.

6Sep, 2016
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Cura provides a solution to tedious paperwork

A NATIONAL company is doing its bit to provide care homes across the country with an easier technological care management solution to tedious paper work.

Cura Advanced Technologies Ltd was founded by Abu Omar while he was caring for his elderly mother. He wanted to create a user friendly service that made care giver’s jobs easier and gave him piece of mind.

He said: “I’ve been in the IT business for about 35 years, my mother is 90 and I was thinking about what I would want to see if she was in a home, that’s where the idea for the business came. “My mother still travels a lot and it’s nice to know that my brothers can check in and see how she is doing using our technology.”

Care Management Solution to Tedious Paperwork

The concept has three components: Cura Web, Cura Tablet and Cura Kin. It was rolled out in England last year. Abu added: “We started about 18 months ago with a lot of fact finding and research on what changes we had to make to our system for greater accessibility and compliance with UK standards and customer practices.”

The user friendly care planning system covers every aspect of the caring process, liberating caregivers from tedious paper work by providing them with an easy to use web based care home system, a tablet and a mobile care monitoring app. Abu said: “Today absolutely everybody can use a mobile phone, we wanted to create a type of technology that was as easy to use as a mobile phone.” The care planning system allows care givers to take vital information from residents and input it to their system instantly by using a user friendly tablet.

Care Quality Commission

Abu added: “The CQC want people to be well looked after, safe and respected but there has to be evidence of that, we can provide technology that meets the demands and is easy to use and update.“ A home can be run perfectly very day of the year but on the day the inspector comes a dementia resident could say they don’t like the food, even if they don’t remember what they had to eat. “The care planning app allow care givers to input the information quickly and easily.”

Abu wanted to ensure that relatives were able to see exactly how their loved ones were doing, creating a social media style app, available on any smart phone that provides residents with a photo sharing platform. He added: “With the care homes approval and consent people involved in the caring process and residents next of kin can download an app and see what their grandma is doing, what she had for dinner and what activities she’s been involved in.”

Abu believes some care givers have the wrong mind set when it comes to technology because of past experiences with long winded and complicated care home systems, he want to change the way carers think about industry technology, seeing it as a helpful tool rather than a hindrance. “Caregivers are so busy they feel they don’t have time to use technology, computer systems have not been very kind and that’s given people the mindset they have to be fed in order to get anything done.

“We want to get them out of that mindset and get them to embrace technology.”

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