The secretary of state for health and social care, Matt Hancock, has praised an Islington care for its innovative use of technology. Mr Hancock visited Forest Healthcare’s Bridgeside Lodge home and paid tribute to them in a speech.

Mr Hancock said: “Technology used right is a catalyst for greater connectivity and empowerment. Not only can the right use of technology save time and money, it can improve patient safety.”
The speech noted Bridgeside’s used of integrated technology which links with GPs, local hospitals and develops pathways for each patient – he also highlighted its use of Person Centred Software’s Mobile Care Monitoring system.

“Their electronic care planning system – on a phone – uses voice recognition, gives clinical staff better data about what’s happening to each patient, saves costs, and saves each nurse an estimated hour per shift, giving them more time to care,” said Mr Hancock.

In his first speech as the secretary of state, Mr Hancock spoke about technology and how it could be used in the social care crisis – and how he plans to implement it to help the NHS and the social care industry. Bridgeside Lodge, home to 58 residents, provides long-term specialist nursing care for up to 64 adults aged from 18-65 – and rated ‘outstanding’ in 2017 by the Care Quality Commission.