Abstract

The evaluation project was funded by the Department of Health & Social Care’s Digitising Social Care Fund through NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board. The project was led by the Academic Heath Science Network North East and North Cumbria (AHSN NENC) in collaboration with a North East care home provider, Porters Care, Durham County Council and the University of Sunderland. The AHSN NENC commissioned the University of Sunderland to produce this independent real world evaluation report.
There are 15 regional AHSN networks throughout the UK, the network was established by NHS England in 2013, with the primary aim of scaling up innovation within the health service, improving patient outcomes, safety, and health, whilst concurrently generating economic growth. The specific network that could be potentially impacted by this project included the North-East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System, who focus on utilising digital transformation within the region to transform pathways of care.
This project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the machine learning and sensors base non-wearable Vitalerter device in reducing falls within care homes and manual turns. To summarise, this mixed methods evaluation highlights the benefits, limitations and future directions for the Vitalerter.