NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) is planning to introduce a mobile app to support the 250,000 unpaid carers in the county.
It has scheduled the launch for early next year under a deal with tech company Care Networx.
The firm said the app will provide proactive support to unpaid carers and help streamline care processes. It will include functions for uploading health and legal files, helping to manage household bills and medication, and to securely access and manage health and care information.
It will also be possible for carers to invite other people into their ‘circle of care’ to communicate and share information through the app.
In addition, the app will integrate with wearable and home devices like Fitbit, Google Home and Amazon Alexa to remotely control and monitor alerts such as heart rate, blood pressure and room temperature.
Contingency plan feature
Care Networx has also built in a contingency plan function, uniquely developed for West Yorkshire ICB, linked to the Yorkshire and Humber Care Record (YHCR). This will allow professionals to enact contingency plans in the unexpected absence of the carer.
Kulvant Sandhu, senior programme manager at West Yorkshire ICB, said: “We are committed to continue to support unpaid carers across West Yorkshire with an aspiration to be a region where carers are recognised and given the support they need to manage their caring roles.
“The development of this carers’ app and digital contingency plan, which will link to carers’ NHS records, part of The NHS Long Term plan, will benefit many carers in our region. We plan to co-produce the content with carers and aim to launch in early 2025.”
Care Networx was part of the Health Innovation Yorkshire and Humber Propel@YH digital accelerator programme, that helped form the bridge to winning the NHS West Yorkshire ICB.
