Transforming Hafod's care homes

With seven care homes, serving nearly 400 residents, Hafod’s approach to care is deeply rooted in a commitment to doing what’s best for those they serve. The focus is on getting the basics right and delivering exceptional care tailored to each resident’s needs.

However, care planning—especially for residential and nursing customers—has traditionally been a complex, fragmented process. Colleagues relied on a mix of electronic and paper-based records, which often created inefficiencies, risked inaccuracies in recording information, and meant administrative tasks took longer than needed.

The goal of Hafod’s digital transformation was clear; enhance operational efficiency while maximising time spent with residents, all while maintaining the personal touch that makes Hafod’s care so exceptional.

This initiative had two primary objectives: Digitally Enable Care Colleagues and implement a modern Digital Care Plan System.

Delivery of the project focused as much on skills as it did on software. With colleagues in care homes previously having very limited digital access and rarely using digital devices, Hafod knew that strengthening this skillset was critical to the success of the project.

To establish a baseline of digital skills in Hafod’s care homes, a survey was carried out amongst colleagues, with 29% of colleagues reporting feeling ‘very confident’ in using digital tools at work, while only 30% said they felt ‘somewhat confident’.

This feedback gave Hafod a baseline from which they tailored their device plan and implementation schedule, developing a programme of work dedicated to digital skills.

A device trial took place to establish what was most practical for colleagues. With many care home colleagues constantly on their feet as they care for residents, and not sat at a desk, it became clear that mobile devices such as phones and tablets were preferable.

The project team took a home-by-home approach and arranged face-to-face training sessions in the lead up to system implementation. They established Hafod’s ‘Digital Heroes’, a group of colleagues from across the business who give their time to share their knowledge, skills and enthusiasm of digital technology.

During the project over 360 colleagues attended digital skills sessions, and the implementation partner also delivered bespoke system training via 60 face-to-face training sessions and 30 online sessions. The digital skills support has fostered improved digital skills among colleagues, boosting confidence with digital tools by about 15%.

Support for colleagues remained post-implementation; Hafod’s dedicated project team continued to base themselves at the care home for the week following Care Plan System implementation, and a further six weeks of support was provided through online drop-in sessions. Care colleagues still regularly liaise with the Digital Heroes and each care home now benefits from 24/7 support with the system supplier.

With skills training in full swing, the team prepared for the implementation of the new system. They had analysed over 80 unique paper-based forms to configure the system, ensuring it met the needs of all seven homes and bringing consistency to information management and mitigating general data protection risks.

The care team spent five weeks loading data into the system for each home, ensuring all paper-copy records were suitably replaced in preparation for launch. This enabled the homes to manage information in real time, record care data in a consistent and secure way, enabling seamless information sharing between colleagues and introducing transparency and visibility of care operations.

At project inception, a dedicated project manager was appointed to ensure its success with a focused, full-time commitment. Hafod also partnered with a third-party expert to ensure seamless system integration, user training, and support, mitigating risks and customising the solution to best serve care teams.

The implementation of the new system has had a significant impact of Hafod’s care homes. All seven care homes now use the system to manage care plans and to record daily care activity.

Following the successful launch of the system, Hafod identified an annual time saving of over 73,000 hours per year, with an additional £22,000 in annual cost savings, on printing and stationery.

On average, each care colleague is now spending 2.8 fewer hours, per week, on administrative paperwork, giving them more time to focus on direct care delivery. The new system has greatly improved real-time care tracking, enhancing coordination among care colleagues.  It securely stores care information on a cloud-based platform, protecting critical records from physical damage or loss. The system also supports better medical oversight, allowing care colleagues easy access to detailed resident profiles, ensuring personalised and efficient care.

By standardising documentation and reporting, it ensures regulatory compliance and consistency, while the audit trail feature enhances transparency and accountability.

Mark James is a Senior Care Assistant at Hafod’s Woodcroft Care Home, of the Care Plan System implementation he said:

“It’s been a really good experience so far. The roll-out was extensive given the amount of data-entry that was required, but it’s now making my life so much easier. 

“It’s so much easier because it’s portable, you can take the tablets or the phones with you, you can do your reviews on the go, you can chat to the resident while you are doing the review, instead of picking up the old paper files and having to flick through everything. It’s all just there in front of you now, a couple of clicks away. 

“I personally believe that the Care is bettered… I think it’s better for the resident as we can now be more involved with the care plan review… we can make sure that the care plans are completely set out to them, not just to industry standard; we want to make everything is personalised.” 

The project was mobilised with the clear aim of enhancing operational efficiency and ensuring better oversight and compliance, through digitally enabling colleagues and implementing a Digital Care Plan System.

Through its clear visions and objectives; the upskilling of colleagues; user-centred technology; and continued support and collaboration, Hafod successfully embedded its Care Plan System across all seven of its care homes.

Jen Griffiths is Hafod’s Digital Project Officer; she led the implementation of the Care Plan System:

“Initially, we approached the project simply as an implementation of a digital system, but I quickly realised it was more about culture and people than technology. Engaging with the care team on their terms, through face-to-face interactions, was crucial. We had to understand their workflows, pain points, and concerns to ensure successful adoption.  

“We were fortunate to have significant buy-in and engagement from senior leadership throughout the organisation, including in our care leadership teams. If I could do it again, I would make it a priority to integrate colleagues in roles such as care assistants front-line team member/s into the project team as early as possible, tapping into their practical insights and understanding of day-to-day challenges. Resourcing the project team in this way could have alleviated some of the challenges we experienced. My advice, listen to your care teams, understand their needs, and implement solutions that minimise disruption. Above all, patience and persistence are essential; cultural change takes time.” 

The success of the project rested on its holistic approach, combining people and systems.

Moving away from outdated, paper-based processes to a modern digital solution, Hafod freed up valuable time to better connect with customers and families.

Hafod’s digital transformation programme wasn’t simply a shift in systems and software, it was a holistic programme of transformation, underpinned by the technology designed to bring efficiency and improve operational oversight. Ultimately, enhancing the quality of care and ensuring that every resident received the best possible experience.

This initiative serves as a powerful investment in Hafod’s future, building a robust foundation for continued growth and ongoing care innovation.