A new report published by Care England and These Hands Academy, Managing Deterioration in Care Homes, highlights the outcomes achieved through the Connected Care Programme across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR).

The Connected Care Programme, which utilises the Whzan Blue Box and platform, brings together technology, NEWS2 and workforce development to help care homes recognise deterioration earlier, strengthen collaboration with NHS services and support people to remain where they most want to be: at home.

What began as a pilot across 20 care homes in LLR has grown into a programme supporting more than 100 care homes and over 3,500 residents, demonstrating how proactive monitoring can transform care at scale.

The results speak for themselves.

The report describes measurable reductions in avoidable hospital admissions and ambulance conveyances, generating millions of pounds in system savings alongside an estimated return of around £30 for every £1 invested. It also found that 90% of participating care homes reported increased confidence using NEWS2 when communicating with GPs and urgent care services.

Beyond the statistics, the human stories are what stay with you.

Carers report feeling more confident in recognising subtle signs of deterioration. Residents gain a better understanding of their own health through routine observations. Families receive reassurance that changes are identified before they become emergencies. One example shows how proactive monitoring helped a resident remain comfortably at home during their final days, surrounded by family, rather than being transferred unnecessarily to hospital.

For us, that's what matters most.

Technology was never the point.

It exists to make conversations easier, decisions more confident, and care better connected. With the Whzan Blue Box, Bluetooth-enabled devices, and with NEWS2 automatically calculated, the Connected Care Programme gave care teams the confidence to identify deterioration earlier, record observations accurately, and communicate clearly with healthcare professionals. The platform removes barriers, but it's always the people behind it who make the difference.

One of the strongest messages in the report is that successful implementation depends on much more than simply providing equipment. Ongoing training, support and partnership were identified as critical factors in achieving sustainable outcomes. That's something we've always believed too.

Even the best platform delivers value only when people feel confident using it as part of their everyday care.

The NHS 10 Year Plan challenges the sector to shift care from hospitals to communities, embrace digital technology and place greater emphasis on prevention. The Connected Care Programme demonstrates that these ambitions are already achievable when care teams are given the right tools, properly supported and trusted to use them.

This independent evidence demonstrates the impact that approach can have, not only in reducing pressure on the wider health system but, more importantly, in improving the everyday experience of residents, carers and families.

We're proud that the Whzan platform has played a part in that journey, helping care professionals recognise deterioration earlier, intervene sooner and, ultimately, enable more people to remain safely in the place they call home.

Head here to download the full report

Led by Reading Voluntary Action (RVA) and funded by the local NHS Integrated Care Board, this programme is a brilliant example of what can be achieved when healthcare meets people wherever they may be. By offering free NHS Health Checks in trusted community settings, the outreach is connecting with vulnerable residents who may be less likely to attend traditional appointments, particularly those at higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

We always like to hear about forward-thinking health programmes that blend clinical care with a strong community presence. The use of portable digital tools, like the Whzan Blue Box, help ensure checks can be delivered quickly, safely and accurately in non-clinical environments, from community centres to libraries.

What’s Happening?

Qualified nurses are delivering full NHS Health Checks, assessing key indicators such as blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI and lifestyle risk factors. Attendees can receive tailored advice and signposting to local support, from GP follow-ups and stop-smoking services, to social prescribing and wellbeing groups.

A Model for Local Prevention

This is exactly the kind of community-first approach we champion at Whzan: proactive, preventative care that is made accessible to all. By meeting people in spaces they trust, with tools that make data capture seamless, this outreach helps turn a simple check into the first step on a healthier journey.

Whether someone learns their risk score, receives a referral, or connects with a local fitness or nutrition programme, every outcome moves us closer to a personalised and joined-up system of care.

Technology in Action

We’re proud that Whzan’s portable health monitoring kit supports NHS Health Checks and patients. Our Blue Box, commonly used in care homes, domiciliary care and virtual wards, helps nurses perform vital sign checks and quickly assess a person’s health.

It’s an inspiring model of what’s possible when partnerships between the NHS, local charities and digital tools come together for the good of the community.

Head here to learn more about this initiative, how to get involved, view drop-in session locations, or book an appointment.

Primarily known for our Blue Box and Virtual Wards, our tech is now used to monitor over 140,000 patients daily across the UK – delivering accurate assessments, informing crucial decision-making and protecting people at risk of deterioration.

Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex has supported the implementation of the Whzan Digital Health Blue Box in care homes for over five years.

Following a small pilot a few years before, by October 2023, 60 Blue Boxes had been set up in 40 homes in Surrey, with 400 NEWS2 assessments submitted each month.

Their findings showed a 53% reduction in hospital admissions, 41% reduction in 999 calls and a 36% reduction in unplanned GP visits.

A wider report by Health Innovation NENC showed eight care homes made savings of more than £750,000 in one year by using The Blue Box.

Paula Hook, Registered Manager at Woking Homes commented…

“The Blue Box is a must for every home. We’ve been using them for about a year, and they’ve really transformed things for us. We no longer need to contact the doctor every time we’re worried about a resident – we have the data to help us. The Blue Boxes give the staff confidence in what they’re doing and keep everyone reassured including the residents as they get to know what is normal for them. Our relationship with our GPs has improved because we don’t have to call them out so often.”

We’re delighted that we’ve been able to help

You can download the full report here

LLR (Leicester, Leicestershire, Rutland) Connected Care Programme

LLR ICS Connected Care Programme recently ran a pilot of digital deterioration monitoring tools in care homes across the region. This pilot saw Blue Boxes deployed in 32 care homes to measure resident vital signs and escalate concerns.

A report was recently published on the initial results of this pilot - these were the findings:

• So far, homes have taken over 5,800 observations – 422 of these were full NEWS2 scores
• There had been a noticeable reduction in hospital admissions and ambulance callouts
• Communication between homes and GPs/nurses had also improved
• Learning disability homes especially benefitted
• Estimated savings were over £600,000 over four months
• Further savings were likely if the pilot was expanded

The full report put together by the wonderful Tara at These Hands Academy can be found below.

LLR Evaluation Final Report

Mid and South Essex ICS

Mid and South Essex ICS established two virtual wards in January 2022 – Respiratory and Frailty. The aim being to provide hospital-level care at home, avoiding admissions and enabling early discharge.

A report was published, analysing the impact, performance, outcomes and lessons of the virtual wards between January and July 2022. The results were as follows:

• There was an estimated reduction of 1,406 acute hospital bed days, this brought an estimated saving of £1.3m
• The monthly savings are estimated to be £100,347 in the Respiratory ward and £230,202 in the Frailty ward
• Other positive outcomes included increased patient independence reduced infections and low readmissions

Recommendations of the back of these findings were to optimise operations, expand capacity, address existing barriers and continue the evaluation.

Again, you can read the full report below

Mid and South Essex Evaluation Report


Outcomes like these are exactly what we set out to achieve with our technology.

Organisations with limited budgets are seeing huge savings and their people are able to deliver a better service for their patients and residents. Most importantly, vulnerable individuals are being kept out of hospital and able to live healthier lives in the place they call home.

Please get in touch for more information or an informal chat about your unique situation.

Since its launch in 2011, the Whzan Blue Box has been responsible for transforming how health assessments are completed with minimal clinical training, supporting hundreds of thousands of people in the place they call home.transformed how health assessments are conducted with minimal clinical training, supporting hundreds of thousands of people in the places

More recently, one of our missions is to help facilitate better care for people who are harder to reach, or whose circumstances mean they may not have immediate access to technology that can help them.

NHS regions across the country are now using our Blue Box to support annual physical health checks for patients with serious mental illness (SMI).

A key challenge facing those responsible caring for people with SMI is keeping up-to-date with regular comprehensive data on their overall health.

They’re often reluctant to attend hospitals or doctor’s surgeries and many are homeless.

To support these vulnerable people the standard Blue Box is enhanced to provide a full digitised SMI health check, in accordance with NICE guidance. The six parameters are:

• alcohol consumption status.
• blood glucose or HbA1c test
• blood pressure.
• body mass index.
• lipid profile.
• smoking status

Our data is interoperable with the most commonly used Electronic Patient Record Systems using a single NHS login. Data can be pulled from, and transferred to these EPR’s including Access Rio, Systmone & EMIS automatically, or at the touch of a single button. This means clinicians have immediate access to help those who need it most.

NHS ICB’s including Rotherham, Sheffield, Essex, Kent, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, East London, South London & Hampshire are reporting that they are seeing an upturn in health checks conducted.

The portability of the kit means healthcare professionals can see patients in environments where they feel most comfortable.

We're delighted to be helping to make a difference.

Always a progressive partner, their use of Whzan technology is caring for patients in the place they call home, with a variety of conditions including respiratory, OPAT and frailty. This is aiding faster recovery and reducing hospital-acquired infections.

The portable Blue Box is used to take vital signs, NEWS2 scores and any other relevant assessments as detailed in the patient's personal care plan. Patient data from the Bluetooth instruments is recorded on a tablet, and then automatically transferred to a central Virtual Ward hub, where specialist nurses are on hand to monitor and look for any changes/deteriorations that need escalation.

With 26 places available at any one time, their Virtual Ward has helped hundreds of people stay out of hospital freeing up beds for emergency care. As NHS winter pressures are now amongst us, there are plans to expand this ward further.

As always, please get in touch for more information on how this could help you.

Paul is a resident at Lorenco House in Tottenham. Paul is amongst the tens of thousands of people throughout the UK who’s care and support is being enhanced by the Blue Box. This is Paul’s story.

Paul’s story isn’t unique – the Blue Box is enabling faster, more-accurate assessments for so many vulnerable people. This ensures they receive better, more-effective care when they need it. Signs of deterioration are identified at the earliest opportunity – reducing the need for emergency callouts lowering the burden on hospitals and the wider NHS.

Partnerships like the one we have with NCL are so important to us. We love the fact they are sharing the impact of technology-enabled remote monitoring like Whzan’s Blue Box on their work and lives. They’re the ones who make the progress we’re seeing in health and care possible and we’re incredibly proud to be a part of it.

Back in March, our partnership with NCL was recognised at the Health Service Journal (HSJ) awards when we were presented with the HealthTech Partnership of the Year award. It was an honour to even be shortlisted alongside some incredibly prestigious company, let alone to come out as winners. Awards are obviously not why we do what we do, but the recognition serves as positive reinforcement that we’re on the right track.

The biggest reward is hearing stories like Paul’s, knowing that our technology is making a difference to individuals who deserve the best possible care and support. We look forward to sharing more stories like this.

The award recognises the impact that Whzan technology has in care homes in North London. Our Blue Box is now being used in over 120 care homes in the region, improving the quality of care for over 3,000 vulnerable people. The Blue Box enables more accurate, faster assessments – identifying signs of deterioration at the earliest possible opportunity. This empowers care staff in their decision and enhances the care they deliver. This, in turn, leads to substantial reductions in demand on primary, secondary and emergency services.

Partnerships like this build the foundations of our activities – closely supporting and working with those who can help vulnerable people. This allows us to develop our technology to match the exact needs of patients, carers and care professionals alike.

A huge thanks has to go to our partners at North Central London CCG, particularly Dr Shani Gray and Louise Keane, whose vision and willingness to embrace innovation made winning this award possible. Whilst winning awards isn’t the reason any of us do what we do, the recognition for the impact we’re making is greatly appreciated.

Speaking to Keith Chessell, one of the most striking things is his modesty when it comes to Whzan’s growth and achievement over the last decade. You almost have to coax the highlights out of him to begin with but once you get him telling the tale in all its glory, it really is a fascinating one.

Speaking to Keith Chessell, one of the most striking things is his modesty when it comes to Whzan’s growth and achievement over the last decade. You almost have to coax the highlights out of him to begin with but once you get him telling the tale in all its glory, it really is a fascinating one.

Whzan, or Solcom (Whzan’s parent company) began their life as an industrial systems developer. Having built automation systems for large companies,

Keith recognised the need for systems that served smaller organisations that weren’t capable of investing hundreds of thousands of pounds. “We went about adapting the systems into a toolkit that would provide a solution for these smaller companies – which quickly proved to be a big success.” Keith tells us.

Having provided this much-needed solution for smaller companies who would likely have struggled to keep up in a changing industry, it sparked a curiosity in Keith as to what other good could be done. This led him to the discovery of an NHS grant and the emerging use of automation in the field of telehealth. Innovative systems were beginning to be used to make to streamline processes and enhance care in certain areas but there was a potential gap…

Keith identified an area in which a well-designed system could be used to support patient assessments and automate data collection and recording. “I saw a potential to deliver significant savings in both time and money – reducing admin hours and gifting staff time to actually spend with patients delivering much-needed care”.

Upon winning the NHS grant, the first prototype of the Whzan Blue Box was created. While Keith knew he was onto something, he hadn’t necessarily prepared himself for what was to come.

The early adopters of the first iteration of the Blue Box included NHS Isle of Wight and Sunderland Council. The initial results they were seeing created a significant buzz and the user base began to build. Keith said “its initial use was in individual patient’s homes, focusing on those requiring regular ambulance call outs. It was in 2013 that we found what has undoubtedly become the key application for the kits – care homes.”

Whilst orders for the kits, originally sent out in cardboard boxes rather than the now-signature Blue Box, continued to grow, it was only when Keith started attending conferences and similar events that he really saw the difference that they were making. “The Blue Box was like nothing else that existed on the market and it was revolutionising the way that elderly care was being delivered”. Not only that but the savings being made were projected to be in the hundreds of thousands per care home and the initial figures were showing significant drops in ambulance call-outs, A&E admissions and bed days patients were spending in hospital.

Patient numbers being monitored on Whzan technology has doubled every year since 2014 and Keith is currently projecting that this will reach 100,000 in 2021.

It has also, inevitably, transformed his business. Up until 2018, Solcom’s ongoing industrial projects were funding all Whzan development and Whzan sales were making up just about a quarter of Solcom’s income. As they entered 2019, Whzan could stand on its own. At the end of the last financial year, Whzan was accounting for 2/3 of Solcom’s income. The forecast for next year is that it will hit 90%.

But that’s not what brings Keith most pride when it comes to Whzan’s rise. “I think the biggest thing for me is the identity that Whzan has found as a different kind of company. It isn’t about a purely commercial focus, it’s about the genuinely positive outcomes we’ve been able to bring about. We have the best interests of the NHS Trusts, CCGs, AHSNs and local authorities we work with at heart. The positive feedback we get regarding the difference the Blue Box has made in improving the quality of life for some of the most vulnerable people just fills me with joy.”

The Blue Box has also emerged as a key tool in the brutal fight that care homes found themselves in during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Never before has the ability to make assessments quickly and accurately been more crucial – especially when it came to keeping residents out of hospital. “We obviously could never have predicted this but we’re so happy that the Blue Box has been able to play its part. This isn’t just about protecting the residents but also minimising the strain on the NHS”. The Blue Box’s effectiveness in this context has since resulted in a grant from Innovate UK to launch a pilot scheme that would give care homes across the UK access to the kits for a free year-long trial. The scheme is now set to launch its second phase in early 2021.

Despite having already changed the face of UK digital health and elderly care, Keith isn’t anywhere near done yet. Whzan’s other key product, the Guardian Kit, is beginning to make similar waves in home remote monitoring and the brand-new Whzan app is set to be made available across the UK – completely free.

Needless to say, there’s plenty to come from Whzan in 2021 and beyond.