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Meet Drew Schofield – Transformation Manager at Morris Care

Drew has been part of the wider Morris family group for a number of years so he understands the values of both the parent company and the culture within our Care Homes.  Since taking on this new role in Care, he has quickly become part of the management team enjoying working first-hand with our nurses and carers and absorbing their experiences, stories and the passion they have for their work.

Drew explains: “One of the first things I realised was that our care teams really know their residents – in many cases as well as I know my own family! For me, this gives real credibility to our claim of offering the kind of care where residents sit at the centre of everything we do.

“So, I see my role as helping arm them with the timesaving tools they need be able to spend more time one to one with residents. The more we can utilise technology to do the important but time-consuming elements of the care process, the better. Industrywide, on average a carer spends around 17 hours a week writing observations, care plans and reports and with the right software can substantially reduce this.

“It is an ongoing process, firstly analysing to find the right systems that will fit with the infrastructure of our business, then using my IT skills and love of problem solving to find creative technical solutions. 

“For me, it is all about making the systems we introduce bespoke to the Morris Care ethos, so we are moulding software to meet our own specific criteria which we believe will make the difference. It’s not a quick fix though as once we have introduced a new system, then transcribing all the current information onto the digital platform and training come into play.  It’s an intensive programme, but well worth it.

 “We all respect the importance of logging information and reporting as a vital element in the efficient running of a care home, but the reason our people choose a caring role is that they want to do just that.  That’s where I come in!”

Drew oversees the integration of our online systems which help provide transparency and increase efficiency.  The recording of up to the minute information is more important than ever in today’s world and all this information needs to be available at the touch of a screen.

Transforming how we access information

So, what do we mean by digital transformation? 

In essence all the systems currently in use together with the new software Drew is integrating, will ensure the most efficient, compliant and easy to access information for the Homes.  This in turn, means that Home Managers have an entire overview of every element to running the Home, which allows them to see potential issues before they become a problem.

A great example is the new Care Plan software Drew is introducing. These are digital tailormade plans for each individual resident. Everything from the specific diagnosis and its medical and care implications, through to the small things that make the day to day experience better. The plan ensures a genuinely holistic view of that person is available – from diet patterns to how they like to sleep; their very own personalised way of living.

He explains: “Our nurses and carers know what makes life special – perhaps it is that a resident likes a simple square of chocolate after his supper and before getting ready for bed.  If we know that, we can ensure that resident enjoys this small pleasure and gets a good night’s sleep as he is set at ease.  All these little things are logged and make the difference.”

Another really useful digital tool we have introduced is the ‘speech to text’ option on to all our hand-held devices (phone or tablet) meaning staff can simply say their observations, goals and interventions and they will be logged on the new system. We are also rolling out a mobile point of care app which allows carers to make all the necessary observations with a couple of taps – this works in tandem with the Care Plans again minimising effort for the carer and maximising safety, transparency and efficiency.  All carers have a phone on shift with access to a summary of each resident’s care plan allowing them easy access to review.

The system is highly flexible so for example, during the Coronavirus pandemic we have introduced a whole new aspect to the Care Plan which allows us to create bespoke visiting needs for each resident, adhering to all the government guidance, but specific to each individual.

Another programme Drew is spearheading is an Electronic Medication System. This provides all the personalised medical data and dosage instructions in a digitised format, pulled straight from prescriptions and shown on a screen fitted on the medication trolley. This helps reduce the possibility of human error and the system carries out automatic stock checking, re-ordering automatically and providing an at-a-glance report for nurses and management purposes.

Every single carer and nurse who has been introduced to the digitised new systems so far has welcomed it open-armed and can see all the positives it will bring to daily life and accountability.

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