CLB’s technology will address overall care quality concerns highlighted in a recent BBC Panorama documentary, by enabling care home staff to respond quickly to resident emergencies 

London, UK – 13th May, 2014 – Staff in homes caring for the elderly and people with learning disabilities, will now be able to identify and respond faster to potential safety issues following the launch of the first acoustic monitoring (AM) solution in the UK care sector.

The technology developed by AM experts, CLB, responds to a recent BBC Panorama documentary ‘Behind Closed Doors: Elderly Care Exposed’. The programme highlighted examples of poor care, including the need to better support staff in attending unnoticed calls for help by residents.

The BBC programme also revealed that over a third of homes who have received warning notices from the regulator, the Care Quality Commission, since 2011, are still failing to meet basic standards. Whilst these organisations are in place to regulate health and social care services, these in isolation are not sufficient to ensure safer care.

To address these issues, CLB’s solution represents an essential way for care homes to ensure residents are safe and their privacy is maintained. If residents are unable to physically alert staff to a problem and no alternative monitoring technology is in place, such as video, there is the potential for them to be left unattended until the next periodic room check. AM sensors installed in resident’s rooms are able to identify a concerning sound without human intervention, such as a cry for help, and alert staff immediately.

CLB’s AM solution provides a less intrusive form of monitoring and is particularly effective at night, when staff are under greater pressure. When a concerning sound is identified, the instant alerting system ensures staff can respond as soon as an incident occurs. As a result care quality is improved, helping provide residents with greater independence, whilst ensuring they receive the most appropriate care. In addition, it makes better use of staff time and delivers efficiency savings for the care homes.

Mathijs de Bruin, director of CLB, said: “Caring for people with differing conditions is very challenging and it is crucial that we support staff to deliver high quality care. There is increasing attention on the quality of care within the industry and technology can play a very positive role in enabling staff to provide care as and when it is needed.

“We are bringing 30 years of expertise in developing and implementing proven acoustic monitoring solutions, already widely adopted across Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, to the UK. We have not only provided care quality benefits but delivered efficiency gains across many care organisations large and small.”

Stichting Prisma, is one of those care organisations, based in the Netherlands that has worked successfully with CLB. Annalies van Hest, a night care team leader for the organisation said: “Our key priority is to provide our residents with the best care possible and when you are caring for more than one person, you need support to be able to make the right decisions.

“CLB’s solution helps us by ensuring no incidents go unnoticed and because the system monitors sound, there is no risk of residents being unable to reach a call button or bell to attract attention.”

CLB’s AM solution helps to support resident’s independence and wellbeing whilst empowering them to take control of their own care and support, as outlined the Department of Health’s Care and Support White Paper 2012, Caring for our Future.

Van Hest said: “With acoustic monitoring, we can help residents live more independently. By taking away the consistent presence of a night care worker, the residents feel like they can do more things on their own and are much happier. The CLB technology is a big part of our organisation and we cannot do without it any more – I think it is the future and its use will continue to increase.”