A nursing home in Halifax has revealed it has avoided any cases of Covid-19 since the pandemic hit the UK, thanks to a revolutionary nurse call system.
Park View Care Home had innovative wireless technology installed in the building by the leading global provider of software solutions for the healthcare sector, Tunstall Healthcare.
The ‘Tunstall Carecom™ care assist system’ installed in 2019, allowed Park View to avoid any cases of Covid-19 by enabling care to be delivered in exclusive bubbles, and automatically and discreetly notifying staff if a resident needed assistance. Staff were split into three teams and allocated to care for specific residents, reducing the risk of cross infection and enabling residents to be cared for whilst isolating if required.
The technology, unlike traditional systems which rely on fixed call points, minimises disruption during installation and improves communication between staff and residents. The system also allows care to become person-centred, rather than room-centred, as residents each have their own sensors according to their needs, which can be activated from anywhere in the home, making care much more flexible and efficient. The system supports a less restrictive approach, as the technology manages risks that may otherwise require residents’ movements to be limited for safety reasons, such as falls.
During the pandemic, the technology supported 10 staff members to move into the home full time and isolate to ensure round the clock monitoring of residents, alongside different areas of the building being sectioned off while still delivering a normal level of care.
Jason Sharpe, Operations Manager at Park View, commented: “Embracing new technologies has allowed us to protect every single one of our residents during the pandemic and this wouldn’t have been possible without the technology we’ve had installed. It has effectively enabled us to have our own Track and Trace systems, and having sensors in the residents’ rooms meant we knew they were safe in between our checks. By investing in cutting edge health tech, we were able to keep things as normal as possible for residents, even during the height of lockdown when they couldn’t see their families.
“Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Carecom has given us so much time back, meaning we can give our residents even higher levels of care, and provide their families with a greater level of reassurance. We’ve been able to boost morale and staff are feeling happier in their jobs. I don’t know how other care homes have managed without it, and I’d strongly encourage them to consider how they can use technology to improve the quality of life for the people in their care.”
Prior to the installation of the Carecom care assist system, Park View had an 18-year old nurse call system which was ill-suited to the demands placed on the care home by the pandemic, and was noisy and inefficient. The nurse call system has created a quieter and calmer atmosphere in the home, making it a nice place to work and live. Residents’ sleep patterns have improved, and staff turnover has reduced.
Gavin Bashar, UK Managing Director of Tunstall Healthcare, commented: “We worked with Park View to ensure they had an advanced nurse call system that would improve the day to day lives of residents and staff, by enabling care to be more bespoke and dignified, as well as freeing staff time to enable more social interaction with residents. It’s wonderful to hear that what we do makes a difference to so many people, and that our technology has supported the home in avoiding even one case of the virus. We’re looking forward to continuing to support Park View in providing high quality care as we begin to move out of lockdown and towards a post-Covid world.”
Tunstall Healthcare has been at the forefront of technology innovation for the health, housing and social care markets for more than 60 years. The firm has made extensive investments in the development of solutions to support vulnerable people in their community, enabling early interventions to avoid the need for more complex care.
