A new dedicated App for those working in adult social care in England has been launched to support staff on-the-go through the Coronavirus pandemic.
The social care workforce is spread across 18,000 providers and it can often be difficult to communicate with all staff in one clear way.
A single digital hub for social care workers
The Care Workforce App, developed with NHSX and the NHS Business Services Authority, will be introduced under the new CARE brand and will act as a single digital hub for social care workers to access relevant updates, guidance, support and discounts from their phone.
The CARE branded App comes in response to calls from the sector for a more unified and connecting brand, and can be downloaded on Apple and Android supported smartphones or accessed by browsers on any device.
New mental wellbeing guidance will soon be published to further support the care sector with bespoke advice for care workers. This guidance will be signposted on the Care Workforce App when available.
The first of its kind
The tool will be the first of its kind provided for the care workforce, and will:
- act as a single one-stop-shop providing the sector with all the latest guidance, wellbeing support and advice they need to protect themselves from COVID-19 and keep themselves well
- provide access to learning resources on crucial areas such as infection control as well as practical advice and support for mental wellbeing
- show how care workers can take advantage of offers available to NHS and social care staff, including free car parking and discounts through organisations and initiatives like Discounts for Carers and the Blue Light Card
- signpost free access to Apps like Silvercloud, Daylight and Sleepio, which can help boost users’ mental wellbeing through programmes covering sleep, stress and resilience
The App will be available to download from on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, as well as being accessible online.
Image: freeimage4lifeunder CC BY 2.0
