Case Study: Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust reduces response times and patient falls with Ascom Smart Nurse Call

Reducing response times and the number of patients falling with Smart Nurse Call

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust sought to refurbish its acute care Wensleydale ward and create a digital exemplar. A key challenge was moving beyond a traditional, statutory nurse call system to a solution that would help the nursing team work smarter, improve patient safety, and integrate digital innovation into care delivery. They partnered with vendor Ascom to implement a smart nurse call solution.

By implementing Ascom's Smart Nurse Call system, patient calls were directed directly to a nurse's mobile device instead of a generic alarm. This Ascom solution enabled a 12.2% improvement in response times and led to a 41% reduction in patient falls, including a period of six weeks with zero falls. The ward also achieved an estimated annual cost saving of £57,000, demonstrating the significant measurable impact of the project.

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust

Simon Brazier

Clinical Site Manager, Chief Clinical Digital Officer (Nursing, Midwifery and AHPs)