Cornwall first to deploy transformative digital care service

Cornwall has become the first region in the country to use a transformative digital care service, which is set to improve health outcomes and reduce pressure on the NHS and social care.

Corserv Care, a care provider owned by Cornwall Council, has formed a new partnership with digital care technology company 2iC-Care. The partnership will see 2iC-Care’s digital hubs deployed across the region, helping to transform home care provision.

Called Andi, the digital hubs will connect various healthcare devices around the home using a digital system, that can be accessed by people who need support, as well as their families and carers. The hubs can track and respond to worrying trends in a person’s health or environment, working to resolve issues before they worsen or required hospitalisation.

Crucially, the digital technology also means people won’t be left without access to support when analogue phone lines are switched off in December 2025. The hubs are designed to operate in areas with poor mobile or internet connection, so health information can consistently be collected and critical alerts sent when needed.

A wide range of healthcare devices can be connected to Andi, such as fall monitors and light and motion sensors. With the data collected any changes in behaviour can be quickly identified – for example if a person is waking during the night, or staying in bed longer in the morning. People living in homes with the Andi hubs will also have access to alarm services, enabling them to summon help immediately if they needed it. Plus the hubs will allow people to access all the information they need about their care in one place.

With the support of Andi, residents in Cornwall will be able to remain living in their homes independently for longer, knowing that the digital care service is working in the background to monitor their health and wellbeing.

Towards more personalised care

Alison Waller, managing director of Corserv Care, said: “The Andi hubs link multiple existing telecare devices, enabling them to work in unison to share important information with healthcare professionals. We get fast, accurate alerts that will improve response times, meaning we can intervene earlier to prevent a person’s health declining.

Our care can also be even more personalised, with more comprehensive data collected and analysed from the moment we first engage with a new client. We are really excited about what the ‘Andi’ platform enables us to do, and how it will transform social care provision in Cornwall, and across the county.”

Richard Keyse, CEO of 2iC-Care, added: “Andi equips people at home, and their families and care professionals, with one safe place to keep track of their health and wellbeing, especially in between visits from carers. I am delighted that we are working with Corserv to make care at home an even better experience for people across Cornwall, and to be there for people and carers not just now but for the future.”

Elsewhere in the region, Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust has been improving its outpatient experience with the help of a patient engagement portal Patient Hub.