Morris Care in running for national award

The family business, which has six nursing homes in Shropshire and Cheshire, is a finalist in next month’s Leaders in Care Awards in the Business Initiative of the Year category.

Morris Care’s Time is Precious digital transformation programme saw it embrace technology to reduce time-consuming paperwork, produce greater efficiency and safeguards, improve governance and drive improvements in care delivery.

Introduced at a time when COVID-19 put the care sector under pressures never seen before, it enabled staff to spend more time with residents to benefit all.

The changes involved 550 staff and represented a significant investment. The business bought systems from care sector suppliers which it tailored to fit its ethos. It purchased computers, laptops and smart phones, appointed a Digital Transformation Manager, provided training and moved all current information onto its digital platform.

The approach included digitising 50,000 paper HR records onto a more efficient and secure online system, introducing a system to provide extra security for administering medication, and providing staff with hand-held devices to access care plans to ensure residents’ individual needs and preferences were met.

Morris Care Chief Executive Lucy Holl said: “It was a huge leap of faith but we could see the value of technology in moving the care sector forward. It has been a real success, enabling our caring professionals to devote more time to looking after their residents on a personal basis. They have seen the positive difference it has made to the people in their care and their own job satisfaction and morale.

“We’re so pleased our initiative has been recognised in the Leaders in Care Awards. We will continue to develop the programme as part of our company philosophy of ‘Excellence as Standard’.”

The award winners will be announced on the first night of the Care Show, Wednesday 13 October, at the National Conference Centre Birmingham.