Agenda item

Jon Murrell, Executive Partner, gave a presentation in respect of Consentricare a local privately-owned business set up to simplify the act of arranging and monitoring elderly relatives’ care.  

Consentricare was born out of the personal circumstances of the executive partners’ experiences and difficulties in arranging care for elderly relatives. They identified a need for a free, mobile product to make it easier for relatives and friends to organise care and support for elderly loved ones. It was acknowledged that there was little NHS funding for someone who needs relatively little help and it was still a difficult task organising the required additional care, such as preparing meals, getting in and out of bed, so elderly relatives would still live independent lives.

Consentricare’s first product, a mobile app called Carehound would be launched in late-summer. The app would simplify the “Care conundrum”, and allow elderly people’s relatives easy access to the right information, and enable a suitable care package to be implemented.  The various specific ways which Carehound guided its customers through the “care maze” were outlined. The app would collate advice from non-governmental bodies such as Care UK and Age UK, act as a directory of Care Services and trades who can adapt homes, and provide progress reports and alerts to relatives.

It was recognised that the help and support the Consentricare team had from Surrey Heath’s Economic Development, Transformation and Community Partnerships teams had been invaluable. It was explained that the Economic Development team had helped to develop the company’s Public Sector contacts and indirectly refined and developed the Company’s business idea by encouraging entrance to the Surrey Heath Business Awards.

It was also noted by not coming from a background within the Care System the two founding executive partners of Consentricare, had brought a fresh approach to the industry and a focus to the customer experience.

Arising from Members’ comments and questions the following points were noted:

·         Carehound would be funded by advertising revenue and eventual sponsorship of the app further down the line. Social care companies and private meal services were mentioned as potential advertisers.

·         Initially Carehound would be primarily advertised via targeted Facebook advertising campaigns. Consentricare had also been in contact with the NHS chaplaincy programme to discuss the promotion of Carehound during their work.

·         Even though there were currently only test users, it was aimed that there would be 2000 Carehound users by the end of August 2018.

·         There was consensus that the app would be hugely beneficial in increasing accessibility to elderly social care provision in the more rural areas of the Borough.  

·         Carehound would be a free to use information and contact directory which would be accessible to all even though the target market were relatives who were “Cash rich and time poor”.

·         The app would log care-arrangers previous phone calls and notes against the directory of Care Services, and aim to facilitate eventual face-to face meetings about elderly relatives’ care.

It was noted that Members would like to see Consentricare present to the External Partnership’s Select Committee in a year’s time to hear about the company’s progress.

The Committee thanked Jon Murrell for his informative update.