Nourish Care says new CQC digital care guidelines announced this week will raise standards significantly in the adult care sector
Nourish Care, one of the first UK digital social care record suppliers to be recognised as an NHS Transformation Directorate Assured Supplier says new rulings will give those receiving care a voice.
Paper record-keeping may one day be consigned to the history books following an announcement by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on Tuesday May 16th which outlines a move to encourage compliance with existing guidelines for digital record-keeping within the adult care sector. According to Nourish founder and CEO Nuno Almeida, these changes will enable providers to improve their services and raise standards sector-wide.
The aim is to achieve 80% compliance by March 2024 with a view to records being progressively digitalised. The shift will improve outcomes for those receiving care by minimising safety risks, allowing staff to respond quickly to people’s needs and to share important information quickly and securely.
“At Nourish we’ve long understood the potential positive impact of digital record keeping and how it can help care teams to achieve good outcomes for people receiving care. Seeing through digital transformation across the whole sector and ensuring each person receiving care feels the benefit is the very reason I founded Nourish,” says CEO and founder Nuno Almeida.
“It gives them a voice and enables them to share their needs, make choices, express their preferences and aspirations. With paper records, people are at the mercy of shift patterns, admin mishaps and other factors. They may not be in a position to, or want to, explain themselves, their medical history, likes, dislikes, etc every time they’re introduced to a new caregiver. With good digital care record software, all that information is available instantly ensuring a continuity of care and seamless handovers.
Jeremy Baldwin, Chief Product Officer at Nourish Care states:“, Nourish is already ahead of the curve with our person-centred, pioneering approach. Our software allows seamless integration with many digital platforms such as GP Connect. This enables access to GP records, medicine management, and the ability to co-ordinate proactive care and support. In my view, these are vital functions that paper record keeping cannot compete with when it comes to high-quality, safe and compassionate care.”
At present, more than 3,500 care providers use Nourish and 95% of registered managers report that they have more visibility and oversight into their care systems as a result. This means that they can refine and improve the quality and safety of their care on an ongoing basis.
Nuno adds: “Digital social care record software such as Nourish is a far more efficient way of recording information. It’s also safer, providing access to important medical information as well as acting as an early warning system that can help care teams to identify issues before they become problems. It also reduces risks such as medication errors, dehydration or missed medical appointments. At Nourish, we are champions of delivering these benefits while enabling care teams to engage families and the person, to give people choice and control and give their families reassurance.”
On a local level, the shift towards digital record keeping will result in a more joined up approach to care by linking health and care services and allowing better support for the local population, encouraging better use of resources and enabling other important functions such as planning and research.