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Innovation of the Year

The CARE project

This idea came from David Morgan.  Having come from the frontline, Dave knew exactly how hard it was for frontline workers or managers to access information that would help them to do their jobs better.  Geography, shift working and technology had all been obstacles in finding a solution to some of the challenges we have faced as individuals, managers and the Trust as a whole.  But these weren’t going to stop him and the wider team.

Dave’s idea was to create a clinical system containing real time information about the cases our frontline staff have attended.  He wanted it to help staff to be able to reflect on their own practice and compare it against that of their peers, recognise good work and highlight where any further support might be required, both professionally or emotionally.

He took his idea to our own informatics team to see if their combined skills and investment of information, initiative and imagination could devise a solution that would become a reality.

The determination of Dave and the informatics team, in particular Marc Birkett, Richard Muggeridge and Chris Mawdesley, has now resulted in the production of the new Clinical Annual Record of Excellence system, otherwise known as CARE.

CARE is a new electronic system, accessible from any computer, smartphone or tablet with an internet connection, which will allow frontline crews to see a personal record of their own clinical care. And thanks to the team, it is now being rolled out across the Trust.

Employees working at our frontline can now more easily receive alerts to staff about changes to practice, such as stroke, to ensure that they’re providing the right care at the right time.  It is also helping Clinical Care Managers to access information about their team, cascade information to individuals who they might not see every day, and capture views and issues that our employees want to feedback whilst out on ride-outs with their staff.

By being able to better reflect on their practise, NEAS clinicians will see where they’ve done a job well and where they could have improved, which will ultimately improve their clinical skills and the care they are able to provide.

Its impact will help to improve communications across the Trust, one of our corporate objectives, and help the organisation better connect with our teams working remotely.  It has great potential for improving patient care and staff morale as it also provides a way of better rewarding staff for a job well done. It will help us to move away from a blame culture towards one where staff feel able and supported to report their own mistakes without fear of recrimination.