“Rocketing fuel costs are delivering another blow to a sector already under intense pressure, and the consequences could be real and dangerous. If a carer can’t put fuel in their car, it could result in an emergency situation for the individuals in their care, resulting in an escalation being required, such as an individual needing to call an ambulance because they’ve fallen or need urgent medical attention. Beyond the mental strain this places on individuals who are putting their trust in the system to care for them, the figures just do not add up when you consider the cost of an ambulance trip, a visit to A&E or an overnight stay in hospital. As a result, local councils and trusts will fall deeper into deficits and the needs of those already in care will potentially increase.
What can be done?
“The system needs drastic change, and whilst technology adoption in the care sector has been slow, there are pilots in place whereby remote monitoring technology is being implemented, which signals a positive change. The emphasis must be on leveraging technology-enabled care solutions to shift the industry from reactive to proactive approaches, empowering those in the sector to deliver the best possible care to those who need it. Monitoring technology put data-backed evidence into care providers hands to enable them to make the best decisions on the allocation of care packages to individuals, such as reducing visits where appropriate.
What’s the benefit to local authorities of embracing technology?
“We have already seen the benefits of adopting a preventative approach through the adoption of remote monitoring technology in the work we’ve been carrying out with local authorities and care providers up and down the country. For example, in our recent pilot with Dorset Council, it was demonstrated that implementations of Lilli’s remote monitoring technology resulted in annualised savings of 780 hours of therapy time, and cost savings of £4,000 per service-user annually. Applying this £4,000 to a full contract of 1,000 units, a local authority could save in the region of a whopping £4 million a year. This is just one example of how technological innovation can help the healthcare sector under increasing pressure to deliver more with less.”