South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has gone live with Oxehealth Digital Care Assistant in the seclusion suite on one of its wards.
The mental health trust is using the optical sensor technology to support clinical staff to monitor the safety and physical health of patients when they are unwell.
In result the technology has reduced close contact with patients where necessary, through a wall-mounted device and software, which includes a vital signs module that can measure breathing and pulse rate, without the need for a device or wires to be attached to the skin.
Dr Faisil Sethi, Consultant Psychiatrist, said: “Mental health patients have a much bigger burden of physical health conditions than the general population, and that can be compounded by the stress of the situation and the medicines they may have been prescribed.”
“As an organisation and as clinicians, we have a responsibility to maximise the physical health of our patients. Yet taking physical observations can be difficult when a patient is in seclusion.”
“This project helps us to address that challenge because, without having to be in the same space as the patient, we can collect some critical health parameters to better understand their physical health and wellbeing.”
“In this specialist clinical environment, you have a clinical team that knows what good quality safe care looks like, and you have an anxious patient who may temporarily find it difficult to engage with a clinical team. So the question is how does the clinical team make sure the patient is safe and fully supported on a path to recovery?”
“We are using technology to support our own clinical practice, whilst respecting the wishes of the patient. It is a very positive prospect.”
Robert Rathouse, Clinical Specialist PICU OT, said: “Patients who require seclusion can understandably be reluctant to engage, and this can be exacerbated by the fact staff have had to keep eyes on the patient so vigilantly.”
“The new system allows for a more natural interaction between the patient and the observing staff member, allowing in turn for more of a focus on positive engagement. This positive engagement and potential for rapport building can continue once out of seclusion and make for a more therapeutic admission from start to finish.”
