Webwatch: openPASS – Providing easy access to information recorded by carers

The openPASS App enables verified family members to access information that is recorded by their relative’s carer. This includes details of when the carer has visited, any medical care they have received and how they are feeling that day, all in one easy-to-use smartphone application.

With openPASS, communications between family members and care workers are instant and accessible across multiple mobile devices. This removes the communication breakdowns and delays that occur when written care notes go unread for days, are mislaid or unclear, which can cause confusion and distress. It also frees up time for carers to look after other people and spend more quality time with their clients.

Dr Dawn Harper, General Practitioner (GP), explained: “As a practising GP, I know from my patients that trusting someone else to take care of a loved one can be a huge source of worry. This concern can be made worse when family members are based in different locations and not near their loved one receiving care. The pressure of this situation is stressful for family members and has a detrimental effect on the person receiving care, worrying that they are becoming a burden on their family and losing their independence. The openPASS app connects families and gives them instant access anytime, anywhere, to the care notes for their relative so that everyone is kept up to date. It also reduces the amount of paperwork that the carers have to complete, allowing them to spend more time with their clients doing what they love to do, it truly benefits everyone.”

openPASS user Susan Macro said: “With openPASS we receive regular updates from mum’s carer, Victoria, on our phone and we can see what she has been doing, how mum is feeling and what tasks have been completed. After every visit we can see exactly what has gone on and that really gives us peace of mind.”

Victoria Inskip, carer with Melody Care, who has cared for Susan’s mother-in-law for three years, added: “Using openPASS has made my life a lot easier by saving me valuable time in between jobs, which I would have spent filling out paperwork, writing care notes, and making multiple phone calls to the family members of my clients. By having all of this information in one place, I am able to spend more time doing what I love – caring for my clients.”

Paul Barry, CEO, everyLIFE Technologies said: “More than a million people receive residential and non-residential care in the UK, which means more than a million families directly or indirectly have a loved one who receives homecare or resides in a care home. With families more dispersed than ever and people living longer, openPASS can help people feel more in control of the care their relatives are receiving, alleviate feelings of guilt or helplessness and, ultimately, improve the quality of care being received by those who need it.”

openPASS is a component of The PASSsystem, which is the only care management system that is NICE compliant, repeatedly referenced in Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Care Inspectorate reports, and recommended by NHS England. Furthermore, the platform is security tested by leading cyber security consultants.

One thing to note is that care providers may charge a small monthly fee for use of openPASS.

The App is available to download from the Apple App Store and Google Play.