Blogs
The Care Crisis - we need action, and we need it now.
UK Social group Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) and others believe the crisis in social care staffing is caused by two main factors. Firstly, Brexit and the loss of freedom of movement and secondly depressed wages which for many Direct Payment users haven’t increased for 8 or more years. As of September 2022, job vacancies in the care sector have risen by 52% in the past 12 months [Skills for Care]. According to Care England, 78% of care homes are using more agency workers than in 2021 despite the fact that 73% think that agency staff are less reliable than permanent staff. Add to this the fact that 86% of care providers said that the costs of agency staff have increased since April 2021 and reports of salaries show large discrepancies between employee rates and agency rates. Unsurprisingly, this often means that care workers move to agencies for better pay. Despite this, those in power see using agency workers as a short term solution.
National Early Warning Score (NEWS) - what is it and why?
The National Early Warning Score (NEWS) is a tool used to measure the physiology of patients in hospitals or other care settings. Launched in 2012, and updated in 2017 (NEWS2), NEWS is integral to keeping patients safe as it improves detection and response to clinical deterioration. The NEWS2 is based on a simple scoring system based on the following parameters (vital signs):
The Benefits of New Technologies for Older People.
Assisted living facilitates older people, or those with disabilities, to live safely and as independently as possible. An aging population has lead to advancements in healthcare including the implementation and design of new technologies to assist older people to live full lives.
Transform the way you document care and achieve ‘outstanding’ with CQC by going digital and implementing Sidqam’s deterioration and escalation monitoring system - Direcht Restore.
Direcht Restore is a physical deterioration and escalation application for use in care settings, developed in partnership with the HIOW. The application helps with the early detection of deterioration is residents and patients and provides advice about the most appropriate escalation pathway and monitoring guidelines.
Electronic Patient Records: only the beginning of interoperability in health and social care
Data is the foundation for the delivery of all future-facing health services, and there’s no doubt that interoperability and sharing of data must lie at the heart of person-focused health and care services.
Why is deterioration and escalation monitoring so important in care homes?
Deterioration and escalation monitoring is important in care homes because it helps to ensure that residents receive timely and appropriate care as their health conditions change. By monitoring residents' conditions on a regular basis, care home staff can identify signs of deterioration early on and take appropriate action to address the issue before it becomes a more serious problem.
Why is technology so important in healthcare?
Technology is important in healthcare for a variety of reasons. Some of the key ways in which technology is used to improve healthcare include:
1. Improved patient care: Technology can be used to improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients, as well as to monitor their health and well-being. For example, electronic health records (EHRs) allow healthcare providers to easily access and share patient information, which can help to improve the quality and continuity of care.
What are electronic patient records and how does it help the care industry?
Electronic patient records (EHRs) are digital versions of the paper-based medical records that healthcare providers have traditionally used to document patient information. EHRs are used to store and manage patient data, such as demographics, medical history, laboratory test results, medication lists, and notes from healthcare providers.
What is the NEWS2 score and how does it help with resident monitoring?
NEWS2 (National Early Warning Score 2) is a scoring system used to identify patients who are at risk of deterioration. It uses a set of vital signs and clinical observations to assign a score to a patient, which can help healthcare providers to identify patients who are becoming unwell and may require further observation, treatment or referral to a higher level of care.
About Sidqam
We're a UK based company that enable healthcare organisations to meet the digital agenda by addressing existing gaps in their services.
