Earsdon Grange, a care home in Wellfield, near Whitley Bay, has been awarded Diamond Status by North Tyneside Council, in recognition of the improvements made in prevention, identification, escalation and response to any emerging health concerns of those living in the home.
The home, part of the UK-wide Maria Mallaband Care Group, has been making use of the Whzan system, designed to help staff monitor the health of residents in nursing and residential care homes, which was rolled out across North Tyneside back in 2019.
The Whzan box at Earsdon Grange contains a blood pressure monitor, thermometer and blood oxygen monitor, allowing care home staff to take clinical observations and upload them onto a tablet.
The results are analysed by the device and generate a National Early Warning Score which can be shared with other healthcare professionals, including the home managers the visiting Frailty Nurse. They have online access to all the observations which can be used to identify the early deterioration of an individual living in the home, and to support clinical decision-making.
Chelsey Thompson, Deputy Manager, said:
“The Whzan system is based around noticing early signs of deterioration in the elderly so it can help make sure each person receives the correct level of care at the correct time - ensuring they get the right treatment faster when they need it, as well as reducing unnecessary hospital visits or visits from healthcare professionals.
For example, if someone is unwell or has had a fall, staff have been able to inform healthcare professionals of the clinical observations over the phone and they can make a better decision regarding a follow up visit or treatment.”
Earsdon Grange, a purpose-built care home offering residential and dementia residential care as well as respite breaks, has been recognised for its positive use of this smart tele-health tool with the award of Diamond Status by the council - the highest possible award, after checking off all the requisite requirements for first silver, then gold, and finally diamond.
Care Home Manager Nicola Bell said:
“Diamond Status recognises that all our staff have furthered their knowledge and we’ve made great improvements in terms of prevention, identification and response to any signs of deterioration in the individuals in our care.
This has been a fantastic effort, and the leadership team and staff have really pulled together to make this happen, working hard within the home and with external professionals, including Marie Barrigan and Angela Richardson from Ace Training.
With the Whzan digital health system we have improved how we use our local NHS services and, most importantly, enhanced the care of those living with us – which is always our number one priority. We are very proud to hold the Diamond rating.”