Durham County Council

Intermediate Care Project

The Council currently operates an intermediate care service that amongst other things provides short term care through admission to a Council bed in a private care home, or through support at a person’s home. The person is continuously reviewed whilst being in care to determine their current health, with a view to returning them to their level of health they had prior to admissions.

This process is resource intensive and the Council would like to use technology to assist with monitoring and information gathering with a view to providing a more comprehensive and informed view of the person. This would then allow the Council to decide appropriate next steps regarding handover or continued care with the emphasis on prevention and early intervention.

The Council is also interested in continued care provided by families and what options exist around provision of a solution, specifically looking at the use of voice technologies.

The Council have already had contact with Gateshead Council who have started work in the same area. The project will determine if a solution can be shared across other Councils, how data can help provide a better service and whether or not the intermediate care provision can be developed further.