OnePlan Blog

Since 2015 the government has mandated that social care users have the option to utilise a personal budget to choose their own care provider, as opposed to the previous system of being allocated a provider from their council. Since then, the NAO estimates that currently around 422,000 people nationwide are going directly to care providers. For care providers, this means that on top of winning council care packages they have the option to compete for private business! Marketing your business, or making sure your business is visible, is now very important to ensure you are found by private service users, and ultimately chosen above your local competition. We have put together a brief guide to help you get started marketing your business. 1. Create a   Google MyBusiness Listing Google MyBusiness is an excellent tool to help your business be found in your area. It is free to create a listing that will include your contact details, location, reviews from user...

Electronic Call Monitoring care software is quickly becoming a basic requirement for home care providers, with many providers having already made the switch away from extensive paperwork. Whilst almost guaranteed to save you time and money, software can still be expensive, so it’s important to ensure you’re getting the most out of it. Here are our top features to look for to help take your business to the next level. Accounting Choose a software that offers built in invoicing and payroll. You run all your rotas, overtime, sickness and holiday leave through your system, so having payroll linked will save you a lot of time and money you would have spent on administration. You will also be running all your client visits through the system so make sure you can generate invoices too, reducing admin time and human error. Free Push Messaging Communication is key, and staff need to be able to leave messages for each other as well as communicate with the office at all times. ...

In an ideal world we would retain 100% of our staff and have minimal recruitment and training costs, however Social Care is facing an industry wide struggle with retention, with Skills for Care reporting a 30.7% turnover rate in 2018. Social care is a demanding job and it is important your staff are supported to carry out their roles successfully. Research has discovered that company culture, working environment and pay are the top 3 factors in staff satisfaction. Here are our top tips to support your carers and improve retention… 1.      360 Feedback It is vital to offer your staff the opportunity to provide open and honest feedback anonymously. 360 feedback is a model that allows staff to anonymously report any issues with their roles, the way they work and ways they feel management could support them better in their roles. This feedback is then reviewed regularly to assess progress in any highlighted areas, and is a great way to improve communicati...

Making the decision to arrange care for yourself or a family member can be a daunting experience. Navigating the world of social care if you are new to the process can be difficult but an important positive step to make towards an improved quality of life. Choosing the right care provider is the most important decision for you to make and OnePlan have put together their top tips to help you decide. Visit the CQC Website The Care Quality Commission is the regulatory body in charge of registering and inspecting care providers. Their website is full of information to help you find a provider, understand what to expect and most importantly lists the latest inspection reports for care providers including detailed ratings. Make sure you have a look at the reports for any providers you are considering for your care.  https://www.cqc.org.uk/search/services/services-in-your-home TOP TIP A key part of a CQC inspection involves asking care receivers and their families their ex...

Whether you're still paper-based or you currently have a software that isn't meeting your needs, navigating the software options on the market can be overwhelming. We've put together a simple checklist to help you make the right decision for your business. 1. Brainstorm the features you want from your new software.  What problems are you facing within your business, where are you wasting the most time on administration and what would be your 'wish list' to save you time and improve your service? This will help you create your own personal checklist to find a software that fits your way of working.  2. Make sure it has NFC Technology.  NFC is the latest development in ECM and a vital component to help you operate your business safely and effectively. Carers clock in and out with a swipe of their phones recording the time and location of their call. Find out more about NFC here:  https://www.oneplansoftware.co.uk/blog/article...