Care sector accounting wastage

The UK’s care sector crisis has reached an all-time high: after a tough few years with the pandemic and staff retention, it’s facing a new crisis, with care homes losing almost £11,000 per day in paper wastage, according to new research from Found CRM.

The social care sector, which has consistently been underfunded over the last decade, must now prioritise transforming their technology, or face losing over £4 million each year. New research from Found CRM has revealed care homes across the UK are losing £11,000 a day in paper waste – equivalent to the weight of 158 double decker buses (1,900 tonnes) each year.

This amount of paper costs the care sector over £4 million annually and is used to manage care home enquiries, occupancy and visits – before any marketing materials are considered.

There is an urgent need for care homes across the UK to transform their technology by investing in paperless systems, according to Found’s latest research.

Despite care homes already feeling the pressure of a limited social care budget, Government spending on public healthcare is set to be reduced by 5.3 billion in 2023, despite previous plans to increase NHS and social care funding over the next few years – placing homes at even greater risk of losing even more money.

Care homes will lose £20 million in wastage cost over the next 5 years, unless they invest sustainably, warns Chris Donnelly, CEO at Found CRM:

“The care sector is infamous for its use of paper to make notes, track care home enquiries, create care plans, organise staff rotators, and much more.

So it’s no surprise that Found CRM research has revealed care homes across the UK use an amount of paper equivalent to 1,900 tonnes each year – costing £11,000 each day and over £4 million annually!

Adopting innovative digital solutions, such as electronic medical records, digitised documentation systems, and advanced communication technologies, can significantly reduce paper consumption and costs in the care sector, while improving efficiency and streamlining operations”, shares Chris Donnelly, CEO at Found CRM.

“Electronic systems offer enhanced data security, improved accessibility, and simplified record management, ultimately leading to better care outcomes for residents. What’s more, the reduction in paper usage results in substantial cost savings for care home providers, allowing them to allocate resources more effectively.

That’s where modern technology like Found comes in and eliminates the need for paper-based systems. Care home managers can see live bed availability, respond to any enquiries, and instantly track the amount of completed sales. Using this software across care homes in the UK will undoubtedly improve the compliance, sales, and most importantly the standard of care provided, across the elderly care industry.

Found’s CRM software will be the driving force of transformation within the sector and we’re already seeing demand for software in care homes at an all-time high. Found’s research has revealed that care home managers are actively seeking CRM solutions over the last 12 months, with a 100% increase in online searches on Google for ‘healthcare software systems” *

Here’s 5 Ways Technology Will Save The Care Sector Millions Over The Next Few Years:

1. Improve the quality of care

With an ever-increasing pressure on care home staff to carry out all administrative tasks, there has never been a more suitable time to invest in technology to lift the workload.

From budgeting apps to care home software that tracks new enquiries, these types of technology can help to reduce the pressure on employees. Tasks that may have previously taken a few hours could be reduced to minutes, as a result care workers can focus more attention on resident care.

What’s more, our need for a diverse selection of residential, nursing and specialist care homes will increase as we get older. Digital records mean carers can provide crucial information about any hobbies, likes, dislikes, or important memories, which is particularly important for anyone living with dementia. Care workers can access an array of information through a digitised care plan, and this could lead to new, creative ways of communicating with residents.

2. Reduce care home costs

Found’s new research has found the care sector is spending over £4 million on paper costs each year.

Adopting care home software or digital technologies eliminates the need for paper-based systems and processes, and can improve resource allocation, ultimately optimising operational efficiency and reducing overall care home costs.

Found’s research has also shown care homes are struggling with the pressure of coping with new enquiries more than ever before, with 68% of all care enquiries not responded to by care homes, and a shocking 92% of enquiries weren’t followed up within a 7-day period**. Technology like Found can help care home managers to stay on top of enquiries ultimately boosting occupancy levels in their homes.

3. Improve sustainability

Technology plays a vital role in improving sustainability in care homes by enabling paperless documentation and implementing energy-efficient systems, ultimately reducing waste, minimising environmental impact, and promoting a greener and more sustainable care home environment.

4. Reduce staff turnover levels

Retaining the right staff has never been more important for care providers. Working in care can be challenging – but also very rewarding – and giving staff more time to spend with residents can help.

Removing the barriers where staff feel burned out or stressed – for instance handling all new care enquiries or manually writing up all notes – can help create an environment where staff want to stay.

The correct training for any new software will ensure they feel empowered, too.

5. Increased privacy control over personal information and records

Technology advancements in the care sector will improve the privacy and security of residents’ records and personal information, through secure data software and access controls. Ensuring confidentiality and compliance with data protection regulations.