Camden Council, in partnership with Oysta, has successfully piloted a care tech device to allow residents to return from hospital sooner and be fully supported to recover at home.
So far, the Oysta care device has supported over 200 residents who were medically fit enough to be discharged from hospital but required ongoing social care support at home to leave hospital sooner, reducing pressures on the NHS.
The Help at Home mobile device, provided to residents who are supported by Camden’s adult social care service, has a falls sensor, status alerts and an SOS button linked to an Alarm Receiving Centre, allowing people to recover independently at home but knowing help is readily available.
Residents who were given the device returned home on average three days sooner than those waiting for a social care assessment before they could leave hospital, freeing up hospital beds and helping to address patient backlog.
Calls from the devices go to Camden Council’s ‘Careline’ which allows care teams to respond to calls directly.
Following this successful trial, the care device will now be used permanently for adult social care users in Camden who are returning from hospital.
Councillor Anna Wright, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care, said: “These Help at Home devices have allowed people to return to their own homes faster, with the confidence that they have technology-based support at the touch of a button. Using these devices, linked to our Careline team, not only provides peace of mind to the individuals and their families but allows the hospital social work teams to develop a plan to support people with what matters to them. But it’s more than just an alarm: our residents can talk directly to our teams through their devices, who also receive alerts in situations such as someone having a fall, allowing us to send a team around to help.”
Mario Zuccaro, Founder of Oysta said: “What we’ve demonstrated in Camden is that not only can our device free up beds for other patients with urgent need for treatment, but we can reduce the unnecessary risk that a longer than necessary stay in hospital can bring. Some people around the country are waiting weeks for their care assessments and by using an Oysta device they have something to keep them safe and monitored which also takes the strain off under pressure social care teams who can schedule in visits in the person’s home when they have returned from hospital.”
A Camden resident who was given an Oysta care device said: “After a long stay in hospital I was desperate to get back to my own home. The staff at the hospital gave me a device whilst I was still on the ward so I could get used to it and I was surprised how easy it was to use. On one occasion I used my Oysta Pearl to call for help after a fall and within 20 minutes the Careline team were at my door to help me. I would recommend it to anyone in my position who was medically fit to be discharged. I had a care assessment when I was back at home and the Council were able to provide me with the things I needed to stay in my own home.”
