Remote monitoring tech pilot saves council over £65k and frees up social care practitioners’ time
A new proactive and non-intrusive remote monitoring technology scheme is being rolled out to individuals across Reading to facilitate greater independence at home.
Lilli, a software firm that aims to revolutionise home care, has partnered with Reading Borough Council to roll out its remote monitoring technology across Reading as part of the new pilot scheme.
The trial will see Lilli’s technology provide frontline social care practitioners with data and insights to support decision-making, helping to improve care outcomes for individuals across Reading.
Lilli’s smart technology will support the delivery of adult social care across Reading Borough Council by tracking and monitoring daily behaviours such as movement, home temperature, bathroom activity, eating and drinking, as well as nighttime activity.
The data and insights from the technology will provide a crucial window into individuals’ wellbeing through an app, which will empower frontline social care providers to identify unexpected behaviours and review the optimum level of care for each service user.
This will ensure the “best possible care outcomes” for vulnerable adults in the comfort of their own homes, while enabling Reading Borough Council to make essential savings across time, money, and resources, according to Lilli.
Cllr Paul Gittings, Reading Borough Council’s Lead Member for Adult Social Care, said: “Residents continue to tell us their preference is to live independently at home for as long as they are able to, including after they are discharged from hospital. As a result, the council has a ‘home-first’ strategy in place and we are now keen to develop that further by piloting new technology which has real potential to enhance the quality of life and independence of vulnerable residents in our communities.
“This pilot project is helping the council to provide personalised and preventive services that empower individuals and their families. By embracing technology and investing in the wellbeing of our residents, we can create a community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, no matter what their personal circumstances are.”
The trial comes at a time of sustained pressure and resource constraints across the entire social care sector, Lilli emphases.
ADASS’ most recent survey of the adult social care sector revealed that staff and services are under immense pressure.
It uncovered that around 75 percent of councils say the size of care packages for people being discharged from hospital and the number of hours and numbers of carers needed have increased. Over half state they have seen an increase in the numbers of people needing social care due to delays to hospital admissions.
Moreover, 81 percent of directors either strongly agree or agree that increased NHS pressures will lead to adult social care taking responsibility for services that the NHS would have previously arranged or delivered.
Lilli’s remote monitoring solution is designed to reduce the care deficit and additional pressures caused by an overworked health and social care ecosystem. It hopes to ease the burden on frontline staff and helping the sector to allocate resources to where they are needed most.
Nick Weston, Chief Commercial Officer at Lilli, added: “We’re thrilled to launch this new trial project with Reading Borough Council. Even in this early stage of the rollout, we have seen positive feedback from both service users and staff and have already seen over £65,000 generated in cost savings and 2,400 additional care hours generated.
“The impact that proactive remote monitoring technologies can have on the whole healthcare ecosystem is becoming widely recognised, and it’s great to be working with innovative local authorities such as Reading Borough Council who are leading the way by implementing Lilli to help them to keep society’s most vulnerable people safely at home for longer.”