Care Providers

Implementing a new system at Avery Healthcare

Avery Healthcare chose Radar Healthcare to fulfil the specific requirements their previous inhouse system did, across their 60 care homes. Radar Healthcare brought together many systems and processes in a more collaborative and user-friendly way. Starting in February 2022, they began an innovative pilot scheme at 11 of their sites to ensure they could perfect their system prior to the main roll-out.

The full rollout went ahead less than three months later, with Avery Healthcare confident that their teams and residents would continue to thrive.

Keeping track of a national business from one screen

Julie Spencer, Care and Quality Director, and Emma Miles, Head of Assurance and Care, at Avery Healthcare primarily needed oversight of all locations, which they were able to do so with their previous system.

Oversight and control are key for us, and so having that view of our home is brilliant. We are finding that our Events modules are prompting staff – ‘have you updated the care plan?’, ‘Have you reviewed the risk assessment’. Questions and ideas are being raised when we report and analyse events already, seven weeks in!

Julie Spencer, Care and Quality Director, Avery Healthcare

These new updates have not only improved data collection, but they have improved morale.

“The empowerment has demonstrated how brilliant our care staff are; they have been able to show their best selves. It has completely improved team morale and given our senior members of staff peace of mind in knowing that our teams have that confidence in themselves and the work we are all doing with Radar Healthcare.”

See how Radar Healthcare could help your team

We decided to trial our audits out with our pilot homes. A number of our staff tried this, straight away, not needing any additional training. That’s how simple the system is to use.

Emma Miles, Head of Assurance and Care, Avery Healthcare

Unlocking Avery Healthcare’s potential

After a few weeks of using Radar Healthcare each day, adaptions were made from the pilot scheme. These changes weren’t to fix something but were opportunities to make a positive change at Avery Healthcare.

“One of our quality indicators needs us to know what infection someone has. But a manager asked for a review step so she could use that process to be more proactive in these events. We added that step in and within the first week she emailed reporting that they were using the step daily to keep track and monitor the infection and make changes to treatment where necessary.”

Having Radar Healthcare has shown Avery Healthcare all the possibilities available to enhance their services and, because of our ongoing relationships with our partners, we are always on hand to make them a reality.

Making tweaks is easy, Because I was able to jump onto the system and build that system, liaising with Mark [Forrester, Project Manager] to add it into the workflow – we made that live overnight. No flagging with IT or support, dragging it out for a few days, we were able to make those changes as soon as we were aware of them.

Emma Miles, Head of Assurance and Care, Avery Healthcare

Supporting the staff as well as residents

We know that Radar Healthcare improves the lives of residents, but the added bonus is that it should also be a huge support to the users too. Following the pilot, the decision was made to launch modules one-by-one to each site as it allows staff to get used to each one and understand why they are using it and how it helps with the day-to-day running of the home. As one is launched, the background work to get the next one ready is already underway.

Julie explains: “Instead of launching all the modules in one go, we’ve chosen to do it this way – doing events, then adding in audits, then adding in workforce compliance – so we’re not going to overload people with, new information, new processes to get used to.”

Find out which modules suit you best

The pilot scheme has paved the way for the rest of Avery Healthcare’s homes, who are excited to get involved with this software on which they’ve heard such good feedback from their colleagues. Those working in the pilot homes have reported that they now feel empowered, knowing that they can access information and analytics that was previously only possible for Home Managers and senior management.

Emma Miles comments: “When you give people that responsibility, they rise to it.”

As Avery Healthcare embarks on this new journey, the focus is on the future.

Working with Radar Healthcare is proving to be invaluable by bringing together all our incidents and events, audits, and continual improvements actions into one place. Empowering our workforce to be part of a proactive, caring, supportive environment, in which they can be proud to work.

Julie Spencer, Care and Quality Director, Avery Healthcare