The market has largely moved to IP-based nurse call systems, which offer room-level data logging, staff location tracking and integration with care management software. Analogue systems are still common in older care home stock and have lower upfront replacement costs but significantly higher long-term maintenance and parts costs as manufacturers withdraw support.
Why this matters
A nurse call system that is slow to respond, generates false alarms or lacks adequate coverage is a CQC Regulation 17 governance risk and a resident safety concern. Specifying purely on upfront cost without considering system life, integration capability and manufacturer support produces poor outcomes within five years.
What to do
- 1If your nurse call system is over eight years old, commission a condition survey parts availability and manufacturer support for older analogue systems is declining rapidly.
- 2When specifying a replacement, require the supplier to demonstrate data logging and reporting capability CQC expects call response time data to be available.
- 3Ensure the new system integrates with or exports to your care management software duplicated data entry across systems creates risk.
- 4Include nurse call system maintenance in your planned preventative maintenance schedule, with annual inspection by the manufacturer or approved service agent.
Primary source
NHS HTM 08-03: Bedhead Services (Nurse Call Systems)
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