February 12th 2025
A Legacy of Care
As Coverage Care celebrates its 30th anniversary, Debbie Price, CEO, reflects on how the organisation has evolved from analogue to digital systems throughout her career. With 40 years in the sector, she has witnessed first-hand the transformation of care services and the challenges that come with it. Coverage Care, a medium-sized provider, continues to offer essential services to older adults and individuals with learning disabilities, across 11 sites. They are supported by a dedicated workforce of 1,100 staff caring for 660 residents.
The Journey Towards Digital Innovation
Coverage Care’s digital transformation journey began with the adoption of Alcumus, a digital portal for recording accidents and incidents. Over the years, the organisation implemented an eMAR system in collaboration with Boots and Access, which is still in use today.
“I came from an era where digital wasn’t even a word in care. Seven years ago, I looked at digital care plan systems but felt they weren’t safe enough to completely replace paper records,” the CEO explains.
With government funding and support from the local ICB in Shropshire and Telford, Coverage Care re-evaluated digital solutions and decided to transition to Care Vision a digital care plan system.
Choosing the Right Digital Care System
The decision to implement Care Vision was not taken lightly. The organisation thoroughly assessed providers on the government’s assured providers list, narrowing down options with the input of managers and senior staff. Debbie shares.
“Rishi Jawaheer (Care Vision CEO) and his team were incredibly supportive. They took the time to understand our needs and showed how Care Vision could evolve with us,”.
Care Vision’s flexibility and adaptability to Coverage Care’s requirements were key factors in the final decision.
Tailoring the System to Coverage Care’s Needs
Working closely with the team, the system has been tailored to include essential features such as customised terminology and alerts for key care tasks. The responsiveness of the Care Vision team has provided confidence and reassurance.
“The Care Vision team is incredibly supportive, always collaborating to tailor the system to our needs. Their quick response times, often within an hour, give us confidence that help is always available when needed.” says Debbie.
Debbie has been impressed with Care Vision’s commitment to adapting their system to meet operational demands , as she shares.
“For instance, if a resident requires hourly turns in bed, the system ensures alerts and reminders are sent. Initially, missed entries were flagged incorrectly, but Care Vision is now integrating AI to ensure accurate tracking.”
Implementation and Staff Adaptation
Coverage Care introduced Care Vision in early 2024, adopting a phased rollout approach across its 11 sites. They identified core staff to act as ‘super users,’ ensuring smooth implementation and ongoing support.
“Having super users helped reduce the burden on the Care Vision team and ensured staff had tailored guides,” Debbie notes.
“Staff who were initially reluctant have now become advocates, helping to train their colleagues and boosting overall confidence.”
Enhancing Staff and Resident Experience
Introducing Care Vision has had many benefits, including improved governance, instant oversight, and better communication across sites. Staff can now access the system remotely, allowing them to work more flexibly.
Debbie adds, “Speech-to-text features and language translation tools have been invaluable for staff with different levels of literacy, and for those whose first language isn’t English,”.
Advice for Other Care Providers
Reflecting on the digital transformation journey, the CEO advises other providers to be clear on their requirements and consider ongoing support.
“Be clear on what you want the system to do, and don’t just be swayed by sales pitches. Care is 24/7, so ensure the support is there when you need it,” she advises.
With Care Vision in place, Coverage Care is now expanding its digital solutions, integrating new systems for HR, finance, and attendance tracking to further streamline operations, and enhance care delivery.
Photo by Hannah Busing, Unsplash
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