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Electronic Monitoring of Homecare

This project will implement a regional pilot for an Electronic Monitoring System for Domiciliary Care Services. This is one of a number projects which contribute towards the Transformation of Social Care which is being undertaken by a number of councils. Gateshead, Newcastle, Sunderland and North Tyneside Council councils have seen an opportunity to benefit regionally by sharing learning from this service change.

The project will use IT to improve the accuracy of information on the amount of care which is actually being received by service users. This will enable more accurate billing for home care customers. It will also ensue accurate and up to date management information for local authorities to ensure that resources are being used effectively.

The pilot will focus on:

Council In house Domiciliary Care Service provision.
External Domiciliary Care Service Provider (s)
Commissioning & Contracts in its monitoring of home care delivery
Business & Performance Management in management of the financial reconciliation of home care transactions.

The system will enable:

Effective and efficient real time matching of available in house resources (carers) to service demands (service user needs)
Monitor the matching of external resources to service demands
Log the time and duration of all home care visits thereby maximising automated client charging & external provider invoice reconciliation, including missed visits
Providing valuable management information in respect of all service users' care delivered on behalf of the council.
A dynamic link between new products and existing council databases that are secure and uphold council information security requirements
To meet Health & Safety requirements, CSCI Standards and the Corporate Lone Working policy
To adopt and action learning approach where learning will be shared regionally for the benefit of councils and others involved to influence decision making
To ensure a co-ordinated approach in the locality by building on good relationships already forged through involving councils with Care Services Efficiency Delivery (CSED). This offers a number of advantages, as authorities are in a similar position and can work with system providers to achieve value for money for local councils and external domiciliary care providers improving stability in Market Management .

Progress to Date

Work is being carried out to ensue that the new IT systems necessary to the success of the project will successfully interface with existing systems.

Councils and Partners Involved

North Tyneside, Gateshead, Sunderland and Newcastle Councils and private sector home care providers yet to be identified.