As the UK faces four weeks of lockdown from Thursday, the need for a digital solution that provides public help and support is now a matter of urgency.
In just one week, Priority Digital Health launched a Covid-19 Welfare platform that enabled the most vulnerable Essex residents to register a request for support and allowed volunteers to register their offer of help. Health and social care professionals then match the volunteers to the requests for support via the platform.
Almost 9,000 vulnerable people who were shielding across Essex were connected through the Priority Platform with support from specialist providers, local community hubs and thousands of volunteers. As well as building the platform, the team at Priority Digital Health trained 350 call handlers and 3500+ volunteers.
Alison Meadows, Joint Chief Executive of Priority Digital Health, said: “We recognise that every service is uniquely individual to its residents and locality. So, every module in the Priority Platform has been designed so it can be customised for each service and every local pathway.
“The Priority Platform is available to be customised for other local authorities and can be mobilised within 72 hours. This is the kind of platform we believe councils should be looking to, in order to support their vulnerable residents.”
Due to its success the platform was developed and expanded into the Essex Wellbeing Service, which links anyone cross Essex, irrespective of circumstances, with the practical, emotional, and social care support they need.
