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Statistics for March 2023

Shared care record celebrates new usage milestone

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More than 100,000 records were viewed during March by health and social care professionals, marking a new milestone for the Dorset Care Record.

Figures for the month show there were 108,844 records viewed, including 89,606 views through Single Sign On and 19,238 via the web portal link.

And for the first time there were also more than 100,000 log-ins by our 6,200 trained users, with a total of 103,767 reported.

The number of pathology reports viewed was also at its highest level since the care record started 5 years ago, at just over 19,100.

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Dorset Care Record logo

Dorset Care Record Stakeholder Update – Spring 2023

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Welcome to our latest stakeholder update about progress of the Dorset Care Record. This will be my last update as I have moved to become a Communications Business Partner for Adults and Housing at Dorset Council.

Two adult hospices join our shared care record

Two of Dorset’s adult hospices – Lewis Manning Hospice Care at Poole and Dorchester-based Weldmar Hospice have joined the Dorset Care Record (DCR). They will be able to provide end of life care information for our core partners as well health and social care organisations across the county.

Two hospices for adults join the Dorset Care Record – Dorset Care Record (dorsetcouncil.gov.uk) Continue reading “Dorset Care Record Stakeholder Update – Spring 2023” →

Jodie Crowfoot

Apprenticeships – Providing a rich experience of life

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After viewing several universities, Jodie Crowfoot decided at 18 that higher education wasn’t for her and decided to apply for a two year business administration apprenticeship with Dorset Council.

“I also had a part-time job with Argos and I liked earning money, so felt this was a good route for me.”

She worked in the Chief Executive’s office under former DC boss David Jenkins, providing general secretarial support, before moving to Children’s Services.

Passing with distinction, Jodie had to provide evidence-based work, which included presentations and assignments, followed by a discussion with an assessor.

“I think the apprenticeship gave me structure and an understanding of why you were doing different things. It also gave me confidence and it was great to be doing this with a peer group of 20 other apprentices. We were able to ask one another questions, help each other out. One of my best friends is someone who was on that apprentice course and, like me, she still works at Dorset Council.” Continue reading “Apprenticeships – Providing a rich experience of life” →

Tony McDougal

Keeping eyes on the goal…

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Our communications and engagement manager Tony McDougal has been involved with the Dorset Care Record since its launch 5 years ago. In his farewell piece, he highlights the triumphs and frustrations encountered on the shared care record’s journey.

It’s been an amazing five years. A privilege to provide the communications, engagement and at times, training, for our shared care record. There have been many mountains to climb. Valleys to tumble into. But buoyed by an incredibly resilient and supportive team, we have become a mature and sought-after care record.

It hasn’t always been so. We hadn’t, perhaps naively, anticipated issues around consent. Every partner had a different opinion. Council adult services, well versed in asking for consent every time they saw a patient, were at odds with acute hospitals Emergency Departments. ED clinicians said it was impossible to ask for consent for someone being carried in unconscious on a Friday night. Continue reading “Keeping eyes on the goal…” →

Lisa Trickey, Dorset Council apprentice

National Apprenticeship Week: Lisa Trickey – A 30 year career in digital

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A clerical apprenticeship at Dorset Council has helped pave the way for a 30 year career in digital technology for Lisa Trickey.

Lisa, who is currently Head of Digital Strategy and Design, says the apprenticeship has been brilliant, helping progress her career while seeking new qualifications.

Her love of all things digital started at an early age and she remembers fondly the first BBC school’s computer introduced and fascinated as computer code turned into images.

Back in the early 1990’s, Lisa was a student at Purbeck School, she embarked on a City and Guilds for Business course at what’s now Bournemouth and Poole College and was studying for A level maths. Continue reading “National Apprenticeship Week: Lisa Trickey – A 30 year career in digital” →

Lewis Manning Hospice

Two hospices for adults join the Dorset Care Record

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Two of Dorset’s adult hospices – Lewis-Manning Hospice Care at Poole and Dorchester-based Weldmar Hospicecare have joined the Dorset Care Record.

The hospices, which offer free of charge specialist palliative nursing care to people with life-limiting illnesses, will be able to receive the most up to date information available from health and social care organisations across the county.

They will also be able to provide end of life care information which will be useful for other DCR partners.

Hospices in Dorset take patient referrals from different sources – hospital, GPs or community healthcare professionals. Often these are complex cases as patients have tended to move around the health and social care system in the months leading up to hospice care. Continue reading “Two hospices for adults join the Dorset Care Record” →

Joanna, new apprentice at Dorset Council

National Apprenticeship Week: A view from new digital apprentices

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Working at Dorset Council is an ideal place for two new digital apprentices, Joanna Holmes and Jade House, who joined Dorset Council in the autumn.

Joanna has been really impressed with how friendly and helpful people have been in the Digital Team: “There’s no such thing as a stupid question and they encourage us to ask questions and learn.

“When we arrived, to help us settle in we had weekly apprentice catch-ups with our Senior Content Designers (Susie and Natalie), which was really helpful.”

And Jade, who has ADHD and Asperger’s, feels they have made reasonable adjustments to help her settle into the team well. Jade said: “If they send a message, they’ll put a smiley face, to show the tone.” Continue reading “National Apprenticeship Week: A view from new digital apprentices” →

National Apprenticeship Week logo

National Apprenticeship Week

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National Apprenticeship Week, which runs from February 6-12, is a great chance to celebrate opportunities available at Dorset Council and the benefits and values of completing one.

This year’s theme is “Skills for Life”, focussing on the skills that can be learnt by completing an apprenticeship and how these skills will last a lifetime and help develop careers.

We have three case studies that we’ll be promoting next week, ranging from new apprentices who joined the local authority last autumn, to those whose careers have been kick-started by an apprenticeship and who are now playing prominent roles in our shared care record and the digital and change environment. We also have one exciting announcement to make….

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Gareth Curt, NHS England

Webinar: Top tips for Benefits Realisation

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In this webinar, Gareth Curt, NHS England Shared Care Records Programme Benefits Analyst explores how Benefits Realisation Management (BRM) is applied against reality, discussing the challenges faced and top tips for doing BRM well.

He focuses on the purpose of BRM and the different roles we all play in delivering effective change.

Recruitment day at BIC on 25 January, 2023

NHS and Care Recruitment Event

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Local NHS and care organisations have teamed up to bring a host of new job opportunities across the health and care sector.

Whether you’re new or returning to care, come to the Our Dorset open event at the Bournemouth International Centre on Wednesday 25 January to talk about career options.

If you’re looking for a fulfilling career where you can make a vital difference, come and visit the stands and talk to the Our Dorset team, who will be there from 9am-7pm. There is free parking plus the potential of interviews and offers on the day with flexible options with hours to suit you.

Book now at joinourdorset.nhs.uk/care/

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