A charity has been leading the use of technology to support disabled people through the night, and reducing a local authority's costs
A charity is leading the way in using technology to provide overnight care for disabled people.
The Night Support Service (NSS), set up by housing and care provider Blackwood, allows people with a wide range of disabilities to remotely access care to safely maintain their confidence throughout the night.
The new facility is currently used by 17 people at Blackwood’s Laura Fergusson Court development in Edinburgh, with aims to increase this number to 35.
And the charity expects interest in the project to spread to other local authority areas as the success and the financial benefits of the scheme – linked to the reduced need to employ staff staying overnight - become known.
On top of an estimated £400,000 in savings, the service has also resulted in other benefits, including a reduction in the number of GP visits and a significant drop in the number of calls to 999.
The Blackwood initiative allows customers to access care support via video calls with staff from the hours of 10pm to 7am. It works as part of the CleverCogs system, a service that allows disabled people to live independently in their own home with a touch screen hub which can perform a host of actions, from remotely opening blinds, to connecting with family and friends.
Thanks to the NSS, a centrally located staff team can answer video calls from residents with any concerns and from there, can assess the situation just as they would do in person.
Angela Currie, Blackwood Housing and Care director, said the use of the technology is a landmark for care in Scotland.
“It is no surprise that other local authorities are looking at the value and quality of replicating the service in their areas,” she said.
“It extends the range of options available to people who need support at night and helps them maintain their independence while also helping to increase digital inclusion and reduce issues around loneliness.
“We’ve already had stories from customers who have been impressed by the technology, with many acknowledging that it enables them to have more freedom while also having the safety net of expert care, as our staff can provide a physical response to customers within 10 minutes.”
Blackwood said the scheme has helped to offset the addition costs faced by the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership as a result of the EU directive which relates to the changes in minimum wage for night time working.
The current cost for a staff member to sleepover is £81 per night, however, a night of NSS support costs £17.
Councillor Ricky Henderson, chair of Edinburgh Integration Joint Board, said: “We welcome this innovative approach to delivering safe and effective person-centred care to people who need a bit more help to live independently.
“We know that often people need additional reassurance and the ability to contact someone quickly, rather than having someone in their home 24/7 and this is a really innovative way to do that. Using technology linked directly to professionals at the other end can make sure tenants have the support they need, when they need.”
