Residential care homes have been struggling to cope with the increasing demands on their time from a number of sources. In addition to the demands from residents and families, they must now also meet audit requirements, changing government legislation and increasing pressure within local authorities for improvements in standards. In addition, the staff is feeling overworked, and managers are experiencing growing difficulty keeping on top of all these challenges.
The result is that many providers feel time-poor, especially around the priority of keeping accurate records. Recording everything can be an almost impossible task as there never seems to be enough hours in the day to do so. As well as making sure they record everything required by government organizations such as Care Quality Commission (CQC), they also need to ensure that appropriate records are kept for the future. These records will help with the smooth running of the home when it comes to recruiting new staff, filling in risk assessments, producing reports for inspectors, and helping in court cases if needed.
Proper records are also crucial when dealing with residents. Good notes can make life considerably easier when communicating with families about their loved one’s needs and offering updates on progress. This is not only important in keeping positive relationships but is vital when assessing whether someone has the capacity to make decisions or if they need further support from medical professionals such as doctors and nurses. If a resident has problems and becomes aggressive or agitated, this could be down to many different reasons; good notes will indicate what may have caused these issues so that you know how best to respond in the future.
A way to help you manage the records for your home whilst also addressing some of these other issues is to invest in software designed specifically for residential care homes. This software helps to streamline all sorts of processes, including record keeping, inspections, staff management, and risk assessments; it also operates as a complete Legal Deposit system so can be used to comply with any requests for documentation made by relevant authorities.
The system is suitable whether the home runs its own on-site archive cabinet or if they have opted for off-site storage with a third-party company. As well as being useful during the recruitment process, it has the potential to make things more efficient when dealing with staff issues. As well as recording disciplinary meetings, you can also monitor performance appraisals and track absences; this information will help managers to keep accurate records of the number of hours worked by their employees.
The system has been designed with usability in mind so that anyone who uses it is able to input information quickly and easily. Because of this, care homeowners have found that they are now spending less time on administration, allowing them more time for essential tasks such as providing better care for residents or improving teamwork across the organization. The improved level of staff morale which results from being freed up from these administrative duties can have a positive impact on many areas within the home, including staff retention rates.