Kindocoin Phase 2 SBRI Launches!
The Kindocoin SBRI project has officially launched the beginning of Phase 2 with the challenge focus remaining on enabling the creation of strong, supportive, valued and digitally connected communities. Phase 2 will run for 12 months and will present the opportunity for the two successful companies to further develop and evaluate their prototype solution in a real-world setting. We are delighted to announce that the two shortlisted companies TeamKinetic and Uppertunity, started Phase 2 on 11th April 2022.
The two companies will take forward their ideas to develop a product that will be add benefit to the discharge process and help to alleviate the delayed discharge problems that the NHS are facing using volunteers to assist with this issue. Phase 2 anticipates that services can be linked up digitally and in real time, allowing for a quicker discharge time for patients who do not have friends or family that are able to help them return home.
The issue of delayed discharges is a major issue for Health and Social Care service providers in Scotland, with less complex delays often occurring due to a lack of availability of transport and/or of nearby family or friends’ support. Many of these issues could be addressed through the co-ordinated and timely availability of locally based organisations – who have been authenticated as being safe and reliable in performing this support role.
Utilising an innovative technology-based solution would help link statutory services to the numerous third sector organisations currently providing services in our communities. We are currently working within an Edinburgh that has a vibrant and flourishing voluntary sector, however many statutory services remain ill-informed about what connecting support is available. A digital solution, co-produced and co-designed with third sector organisations would be a welcome tool in helping to ensure that people receive the support they need to return home or to the place they call home.
Please see below short summaries of how the two selected companies propose to address this challenge through using innovative technology.
TeamKinetic
The Wellbeing Hub is a volunteer-powered community care web solution. It enables volunteer managers to safely direct support and care to discharged patients. The Hub intends to reduce delayed discharge and readmissions by increasing people’s ability to self-manage or manage with volunteer support.
The Hub integrates technologies in an innovative way, with safe data sharing that facilitates the partnering of volunteers and volunteer-led services. This allows patients to build a trusted and sustainable network of support.
Phase 1 demonstrated the administrative burden placed on volunteer managers, we know it is difficult for volunteer-led services to be responsive and to provide a scalable service.
The Hub reduces that burden by managing complicated and sensitive data sharing and facilitating patient support via safer volunteer management practices.
We intend to link patients to third sector providers using our OpenReferral enabled service aggregator. Our data sharing features ensure front-line staff can find suitable services and have confidence that only appropriate information is shared.
Enabling volunteers to develop relationships with patients and providing pathways to community-based activity, will lead to lower planned care needs and should reduce future unplanned hospital visits. Integrating volunteers by ‘passporting’ and developing an ongoing pathway to community-based activity supported by volunteers, will produce a more flexible and sustainable volunteering network.
Patient safety is paramount; volunteers must meet the very highest levels of safeguarding certification. Volunteers who undergo such checks can move more freely between service providers through the use of digitally verified ID, online vetting and barring checks.
Patient outcomes linked to voluntary service intervention have been difficult to quantify. Using advanced data science, we will provide a new dimension of insight into the impact volunteers have on patients and their long-term outcomes. The Hub will provide new clinical insight and develop the case for community-based, volunteer-supported care.
Uppertunity
This project provides a digital solution that will transform the way the NHS, Social Services and Volunteer Services collaborate, radically reducing hospital discharge time.
This project is underpinned by cutting edge technologies developed by Science & Engineering Applications Ltd that form an advanced electronic patient record system (CHAI) that lets organisations control their own data whilst digitally connecting with others.
NHS staff will perform their discharge process digitally, prompted within CHAI to evaluate whether support from either Social Services or Volunteer Services is needed. If so, CHAI will automatically request support from the relevant organisation. This request (e.g. collection of medication for a patient) is picked up by that organisation, who can view the information and assign the support request to individuals. Those individuals can login to CHAI using their organisation’s single sign-on, view the details necessary to complete the request and update the organisation that made the request with their progress. This two-way digital dialogue is critical for the delivery of timely support.
Volunteers will be managed through a Volunteer Management System integrated with CHAI, allowing the verification of volunteer credentials (e.g. up-to-date checks and training in place to perform a given task). This gives the NHS and Social Services peace of mind that data is only being shared with the valid volunteers.
Following this project, CHAI will be ready for rollout across Scotland. It will enable organisations to work together to get hospital patients home as quickly and as safely as possible whilst freeing up beds for those in need.
During the project, Uppertunity will explore expert methods of supporting volunteers with the development of a Volunteer Passport & Wellbeing Monitoring Tool. This is a highly innovative tool that is recognised as essential for developing a sustainable wellbeing economy.