Deliverables
An educational app to support carers in the prevention and management of pressure ulcers
We have been collaborating with UCLPartners on a programme to understand the education and training needs of informal carers and to create and test a new online education tool.
The NHS long term plan recognises the continued challenges on the health and social care workforce, with staffing levels below those required across diverse roles. There is growing recognition of the contribution informal carers make to the health and social care system. Informal carers spend more time per week with the individual they care for than professional carers, giving them the skills and confidence in those roles may help to keep the individuals they care for independent for longer.
Interviews were conducted with 60 carers across Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge, and central London. The aim was to better understand how carers access education and skills building support, if at all, the barriers encountered, and identify education content carers would recommend for other carers in a similar caring role.
The interviews confirmed there is an unmet need for carer education. Conventional formats are inaccessible, excluding key carer groups, requiring new education delivery methods. Education content needs to recognise the different needs for those caring for people with physical needs versus mental needs.
One of the reoccurring themes was the need for basic health and care skills training. Specific examples referenced included handling skills, wound care and recognising signs of deterioration.
Introducing iCare
This online education app focuses on one domain – the care, management and prevention of pressure ulcers. Our clinical and service leads supported this domain choice due to the ongoing prevalence of pressure ulcers in patients across social care (particularly adult safeguarding), community and hospital teams.It uses an existing education platform, Agylia, widely usedin the commercial sector and optimised for mobile learning.
iCare covers up to 20 microlearning modules, each of which is 2-3 minutes’ and includes a mix of video, audio, diagrams, animations and photography. The content development has been led by a NELFT Senior Tissue Viability Nurse and will be tested iteratively with carers across North East London and adapted as required.
Testing will run between September and December 2019.
Want to get involved?
We are looking for people who live in East London and care for a loved one, to help us test the iCare app and provide feedback on whether you think it will make an impact on caring roles.
All you need is access to a smartphone and the ability to use the app over a 6 week period.
If you would like to get involved please call us on 0300 300 1548 or email [email protected]
Updated 8th November 2019
Your personal data will be treated as strictly confidential. The processing of personal data is governed by the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) and the General Data Protection Regulations 2018 (GDPR).
What data do we need?
To run the iCare project, Care City will collect personal data on all participants. This will include your full name, email address, phone number and address. Please note that we will only collect your address if that is where the Talk Aloud meeting takes place.
Why do we need it?
We need to know your personal data in order for the team to be able to keep in touch with you during the programme. We also want to understand the impact of iCare on our participants and to know if it makes a difference to your education needs.
What do we do with it?
The participant forms will be stored securely in the Care City office, and only accessed by the project team. We will not share your data with anyone else, unless you have requested us to do so. For the duration of the iCare project, your details will be used to help us arrange meetings and to communicate any project updates with you.
Any data used to evaluate the impact of iCare will be anonymised. Care City has a robust Data Protection regime in place to oversee the effective and secure processing of your personal data.
More details on this can be provided on request.
How long do we keep it for?
We will store your data for 24 months from the end of the iCare project. At this point your personal details and forms will be securely destroyed.
If at any point you would like to withdraw your personal details, please inform the project team and these be securely destroyed.
If you have any questions about data security or wish to log a complaint, please contact: [email protected] (Data Protection Officer)
Thank you for taking part in the iCare trial!
