A Scarborough care provider has become the first in the area to introduce a new telemedicine service designed to provide round-the-clock access to clinical support and advice for residents.
Saint Cecilia’s Care Group has introduced a new video-enabled clinical response telemedicine service at its three homes in Scarborough in partnership with provider Immedicare.
Through the service, staff at the homes can access a highly skilled multidisciplinary clinical team 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help them get advice and guidance on a resident’s medical condition.
Introduced with the support of the Scarborough and Ryedale Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) the service is designed to give residents immediate video access to medical advice so that the homes can decide on the best course of action.
Managing director Mike Padgham says: “We are very pleased to be introducing this new telemedicine facility with Immedicare and the CCG and looking forward to the benefits it will bring to our residents, staff and local GP services.
“It will be a great aid to us in decision-making and getting expert medical opinion on the best way to care for a resident in each particular circumstance.
“Of course it will never replace the moment when we need to call out a doctor or ambulance but it will certainly give us greater input in making those decisions.
“It always benefits the resident if they can remain in the home rather than be admitted to hospital unless it is truly necessary.
“We are very grateful to Immedicare, the CCG and North Yorkshire County Council for their support in introducing this new telemedicine and looking forward to working with it.”
The overall benefit of telemedicine is in giving care and nursing homes access to immediate clinical advice and reducing unnecessary ambulance call-outs, reduce in and out-of-hours GP visits and reduce unnecessary hospital admissions.
“We are confident this will assist us in providing the very best care for our residents and provide additional peace of mind to their relatives that we have access to the best clinical support and advice, round the clock,” Mr Padgham adds.
Immedicare provides video-enabled clinical support to nursing and residential homes around the clock.
