Government agency Innovate UK has granted funding to Oxford healthtech outfit Cognitant Group to deliver a smartphone-based training scheme for care home and community care staff.
Cognitant will be developing and delivering a free, short, “high-impact” training for all care staff to access via smartphones.
The scheme aims to support care home staff as they care for patients affected by Covid-19 as well as up-skill the workforce to carry out clinical observations for the monitoring of patients, such as blood pressure, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation.
In addition, the smartphone training aims to ensure that care staff are equipped to be able to liaise effectively with remote clinical teams, improve the confidence of care staff in managing patients, and reduce anxiety of patients, their relatives and staff.
The programme will be shared amongst care staff by care organisations and by staff themselves using peer-to-peer networks and social media.
The scheme also includes a self-assessment component and a certificate of completion to ensure quality training.
“The pandemic has put enormous strain on care home staff, who are caring for the most vulnerable members of our society. This programme aims to ensure that each member of staff has easy access to trustworthy information and training,” said Cognitant chief executive Dr Tim Ringrose.
“We will be working closely with the network of care homes to support care home staff in their vital role looking after our loved ones”.
As part of the development of the training programme, Cognitant is conducting a survey of care workers to ensure that the training addresses the areas of greatest need.
All staff working in care homes and providing care in the community are invited to respond to the survey.
