Radar Healthcare's Hero Awards – Beccy Incledon, Parkhaven Trust

Beccy Incledon, winner of Radar Healthcare Hero Awards for Best use of Technology in 2020

We’re really enjoying speaking to our fabulous Healthcare Hero award winners; learning about what they do, and all the hard work put in to keep the health and social care world turning. 

The winner of the ‘best use of digital technology’ category was Beccy Incledon, from Parkhaven Trust. She was nominated for introducing truly innovative technology into her organisation that’s made a huge difference. We caught up with her to find out more… 

Climbing the ladder 

I’ve worked at Parkhaven Trust for a total of 18 years so far. I started as a carer, before working as a supervisor, then a scheme leader and eventually built up to a community services manager where I am today. I look after 50 service users throughout extra care housing schemes, assisted living, domiciliary care and day care. 

Innovating care through digital technology 

As part of our service development, we recently opened a new nursing home for people living with dementia and wanted to find appropriate technology to help improve the quality of care. 

Circadian lighting, acoustic monitoring and electronic care planning have been installed to ensure that people are supported and cared for using the latest technology and to support staff to spend more time with people. The acoustic monitoring system listens to sleeping residents and triggers an alert if the sound level exceeds or falls below an individual’s personalised settings. Lights automatically turn on in the en-suite bathrooms when someone gets out of bed, and there are cameras in each bedroom, so staff can easily check on residents via a live feed. This all means better, undisturbed sleep for clients. 

We have mobile care monitoring at The Beeches and Parkhaven Court and are implementing it at James Page this month. Since installing this tech, we’ve seen a 50% reduction in falls. 

I’m lucky that I work closely with my manager and if I have an idea of how digital technology can improve the care that we deliver, we look at it to see if we can use it. We’re actually the first service in England for people with dementia to have circadian lighting, acoustic monitoring and mobile care planning in a service. This has improved the quality of care that we deliver and the experience of our staff. 

Hitting the ground running 

Our staff at Parkhaven Trust are amazing, when we bring in a new technology, they grab it with both hands and hit the ground running. We’re all working towards the same aim – the best quality of care we can offer. I truly believe that you should treat those in your care like you’d want your family to be treated, and let the care come from your heart. 

Future ambitions 

I want to stay in health and social care, but I’d love to undertake further training where I can work on technology for the industry. I’m especially interested in analysing data from our experience to understand the results and how we can continue to improve care.