Refero and Connect4Care launch integrated platform of engagement and social care system of record
Secures CMAS – Community Mentoring and Support commissioned service in the South West of England as first partner
Refero and Connect4Care has announced that they have developed a case management system for Community Mentoring and Support (CMAS) that enables children and youth service providers to manage communications across a wide range of agencies from one central platform. Powered by Fiorano, the healthcare data exchange network, the interoperable and fully integrated solution is focused around the children and young people that CMAS works with.
Service commissioners, providers and the individuals working in the network created by CMAS will be able to collaborate using shared virtual communications on a case by case basis. This platform will interoperate between all existing local case management systems and provide a secure and unified view of the child or young person at the centre of the care pathway.
Through the use of a simple and intuitive app, the integrated platform of engagement will be accessible by the child or young person and their parents or carers, putting them at the heart of their own support network. It enables faster, safer and more reliable ways of monitoring their progress, assessing risks, and getting appropriate support. Updates to each young person’s care pathway become available immediately. They are securely protected by a permissions-based system, eliminating the problems caused by the transfer of records and reliance on phone and postal communication.
CMAS will deploy the Refero and Fiorano platform and invite its care partners in the South West of England, including local authorities, other commissioned children’s and young people’s services, Youth Offending Teams, schools and social work teams to participate.
The Connect4CareFiorano Healthcare Data Exchange Framework, which carries the ITK V2 accreditation for integrating NHS and Social Care IT systems, works with Refero’s interoperable communications platform, which is based on a standard, scalable and integrated set of components (such as Cisco’s Webex Teams for collaboration and team working). The combination of these minimum impact technologies ensures easy interoperability between Refero and any existing case management systems held on multiple client sites. This requires no invasive integration. CMAS plans for the platform to be rolled out across its network by Summer 2019.
James Evans, Director of Education at CMAS commented, “We are excited we will be able to offer a common, collaborative platform of engagement between our team and the other agencies looking after children and young people. For us, it is crucial that it puts the young person at the centre of their own care, supported by our team, and we believe it will eliminate the risk of failed communication and disjointed planning and delivery. In 2019 we shouldn’t have to rely on phone calls, handwritten notes or a variety of email systems. Small changes to a child’s mental health or risk status need to be communicated to everyone involved, much more quickly.
“As a commissioned company, we know how vital it is for services to be joined up and informed of other providers engagements. Ensuring children and young people are central to the processes in creating and delivering their care, support and education will keep us true to our vision to develop child centred services that improve the experiences and lives of the families we work with.”
Ian Newell, Director at Refero commented, “Incomplete or untimely information sharing between agencies can be a huge issue for the teams of people looking after vulnerable children. This platform puts entire case communication onto one app and makes it immediately available. Refero believes in simple, standardised technology solutions joined together seamlessly. We know that the boundaries between agencies that care for people are often not simple or straightforward. This can prove to be very challenging and historically has been an excuse to keep people working in silos.
“The work we’re doing with CMAS and Connect4Care is a huge leap forward in children’s and young people’s services because it provides instant improvement to the support each client will receive. It will create better collaboration, communication and exchange of information and provides the security, governance and auditability required by each component organisation.”
Richard Last at Connect4Care commented, “Fiorano’s deep experience in the sharing of healthcare information and data with integrated case management solutions, makes us the ideal partner for Refero and CMAS. We connect patient interactions for better digital care and we know the value of having the right information at the right time. This is particularly crucial for young people who need some control and input into their own care pathway, and this clearly is a great match with Refero’s platform of engagement and CMAS’ culture of designing and delivering services around the needs of children and young people.”
About Refero
Refero provides a platform for collaboration across health and social care, connecting providers with citizens by enabling better communication.
Refero is intuitive and easy to use; whether you are a citizen, patient, front line carer or work in the back office.
The service is modular and based on a common look and feel. It can be accessed online via a web portal or through smartphone and tablet applications.
About CMAS
Community Mentoring and Support CiC (CMAS) is a social enterprise that exists to meet unmet needs for young people, their families and the professionals who work with them.
