Kaleidoscope Plus Group

The Challenges

The Kaleidoscope Plus Group employ support workers to help vulnerable service users suffering with mental health issues, or battling the influence of drugs and alcohol. Due to their behaviour being unpredictable at times, it is vital that the charity attempt to monitor the welfare and safety of support workers when they are working one-to-one with them.

The charity’s original phone call procedure for this was both labour intensive and limited in support, with no immediate way to raising an alarm in an emergency. Therefore, they needed an automated solution which could monitor the welfare of workers; allow them to raise an alarm when necessary, and have minimal impact on staff back in the office.

The solution also had to be capable of monitoring workers within three very different environments, and be able to be carried discretely so not to raise tensions with the service user.

The Solution

After careful consideration and research, The Kaleidoscope Plus Group decided to implement Crystal Ball’s MobileLWP application in July 2013, which uses a smartphone app that sits on the support worker’s mobile. This provides them with full control over the periods of time they wish to be monitored closely, and activates panic alarms discretely if circumstances necessitate.

Panic alarms can even be activated automatically if the support worker is incapacitated for any reason using timed check-in periods.

All the teams’ locations and alerts are monitored by office staff via Crystal Ball’s simple to use web-based portal; with live mapping to display each worker’s location, and colour coded icons representing each of their current welfare status.

The Outcome

The charity has successfully replaced their previous manual system and enhanced the welfare and safety of the support workers through Crystal Ball’s MobileLWP solution.

Not only has this lone worker protection app given the charity peace of mind that their staff are better protected during appointments; it has also given the support workers themselves a sense of security and safety, whether they are attending
one-to-one or group sessions.

“Lone worker protection has given the charity peace of mind as we now know the welfare and safety of our staff is being monitored effectively. It has also been of benefit to the staff as they are now happier and feel safer when they are going into appointments. They know that they can raise an alarm in an instant if necessary, and that we know where they are at any one time can listen in to any emergency situations.”

 

Additional Comments

Lisa comments further on how the new solution has also drastically cut down on time for the admin team due to the streamlining of processes:

“Crystal Ball’s solution has significantly cut down administration time compared with the old system. We no longer have admin staff answering the phones all day long to confirm a worker has arrived or left their destination.”