OpenScore live scoring system for care homes
Autumna launches the UK’s first real-time scoring system to transform access to care and the way care providers market their services.
How do you know if a care home or other provider of care is any good? Until now, those seeking provision for family members and loved ones have had to rely on their instincts, and on ratings provided by the independent Care Quality Commission. However, CQC ratings – which range from ‘outstanding’ to ‘inadequate’ – can be years out of date. Between 70% and 80% of providers are listed as ‘good’ by the CQC, which doesn’t help those seeking care to differentiate between services – or help care providers to promote their particular virtues.
Photo courtesy of Autumna
Today, a new live scoring system has been launched by Autumna, the company that provides the UK’s largest directory for later life and elderly care. Founded in 2019 and specialising in the self-funded market, the independent Autumna has more than 26,000 care providers listed in its directory, which is accessed by more than 2m people each year seeking advice on care.
The new system, OpenScore, gives each care provider a live score out of 10 drawing from multiple, GDPR-compliant data points relating to performance, aggregated in real time. This includes data from regulatory ratings and audits by bodies such as CQC, CIW, CIS, RQIA, as well as reviews by visitors. The result is a trusted live assessment of a listed care service to help self-funded care seekers make an informed choice.
Higher scores indicate better quality care and a more conducive workplace, which should help providers to attract and retain both residents and staff. What’s more, the system has been designed to help care providers to improve the service they offer using live data and customer feedback, in the hope of driving improvements across the whole sector.
OpenScore will also provide the NHS and commissioning bodies with a live indicator of the quality of care in a setting. The system has also been launched in partnership with leading organisations in the sector, including government, care associations and providers, financial institutions and academia. These include: Care England, Care UK, CASPA, LaingBuisson, Legal & General, Let’s Go Create, Person Centred Software Stephens Scown Solicitors, University of Kent and Virgin Money.
OpenSource officially launches today for Autumna’s premium-listed care homes but will be rolled out across all care providers.
Debbie Harris, Founder and Managing Director at Autumna, says: ‘Not only is this intended to improve standards by giving more control to the care provider to improve their services proactively, but the tool will also address one of the biggest challenges facing the social care sector: trust and transparency for the public. When a care seeker needs to find appropriate care quickly, OpenScore provides an instant, accurate, live and relevant overview of the quality of care on offer.’
Professor Martin Green, CEO of Care England, adds: ‘OpenScore stands as a pivotal development for care providers, commissioners, and the public alike, promising to elevate care standards across the board. Particularly in light of the challenges faced with the CQC, the system aligns with our ongoing efforts to advocate for a balanced approach to inspections, ensuring that improvements are recognised and prioritised alongside the identification of risks. We see OpenScore as a game-changer that will foster a better, more transparent care system for everyone.’
Derek Breingan, Head of Health & Social Care Sector at Virgin Money, says: ‘As a major funder of the care sector Virgin Money is supporting the OpenScore project to further the importance of quality in care and the benefits of using technology for data capture.’
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