Tech firm’s innovative solution to bed blocking gets major boost
A TECHNOLOGY company's solution to hospital bed blocking has successfully secured funding and partnership with one of the UK ’s top universities.
Experts from Windermere-based Alertacall were among global businesses including Unilever and Samsung at an event held at the University of Manchester in February.
The challenge was to present a project proposal at the Healthy Ageing and Technology Innovation Lab event.
And Alertacall’s innovative WellBeing Proactive service was selected to move forward to a three-month exploration phase.
Martin Cutbill is a director of Alertacall and was on the pitching team.
He said: "One of the key reasons why many patients stay in hospital longer than they need to is because of delays in setting up follow on care and support, largely due to cost and availability pressures.
“The WellBeing Proactive service provides daily support 365 days a year, at a small fraction of the cost of typical follow-on care packages.”
WellBeing Proactive is based on Alertacall's innovative technology, which is used across the social care and consumer sector, and can detect a customer’s changing needs.
It allows people who want to retain their independence, but want the reassurance of support when needed, to live more fulfilled lives.
Users of the service interact with the Alertacall team by pressing a button on a special device each day.
If for any reason they are unable to do this, or simply want to speak to someone, the Alertacall team follows a process to ensure the service user is OK and to establish contact.
The service also has the ability to provide medication and appointment reminders, and deliver social prescribing messages all of which will enhance recovery rates following a hospital admission
The Alertacall team, which also comprised chief executive James Batchelor, two research fellows and a research associate, argued that implementation of the WellBeing Proactive facility would reduce the number of delayed hospital discharges.
The service is designed to reduce readmissions, reduce GP appointments reduce the slide into frailty of individuals discharged from hospital and limit social isolation and loneliness, which is leading to higher levels of engagement with health and social care teams.
The team’s presentation and project idea was praised by the university and selected to move forward into an exploratory phase, during which the seed funding will be used to help the team gain a better understanding of how the WellBeing Proactive service could be applied.
Said Martin: “We are delighted to have the support of the University of Manchester. This will enable not just an effectively designed trial, but will also provide an independent validation of the benefits delivered.”
Editors notes
Founded in 2004 by James Batchelor, Alertacall is the first organisation in the world to specialise in the development of technology to improve daily contact with independent people and drive meaningful outcomes.
The company now improves the lives of tens of thousands of people. It works in partnership with dozens of organisations in housing, health and social care and has many private customers.
Alertacall employs team members from all across the UK, with offices located in Windermere, Cumbria, and Warrington, Cheshire. The company has a strong and experienced leadership team and comprises passionate experts in customer services, technology, operations and product development.
Alertacall was Highly Commended at the National Business Awards for Innovation. Its shareholders are all Board Members and driven by a desire for the company to improve contact and well being for as many people as possible and to improve the lives of everyone the company comes in to contact with.