Leading health experts and Government officials visited a Battersea care home for a special event showcasing the importance of data and research in infection prevention.
Eden Court, part of Cinnamon Care Collection, hosted the event on Wednesday, 17th June. The Vivaldi social care team talked about their vital work in reducing common infections and preventing avoidable hospital admissions for older adults.
Spurred by the critical data gaps exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the pioneering project establishes a network of hundreds of participating care homes. Limited data from digital care record systems used in these homes are automatically and securely transmitted daily to NHS England, where they are de-identified and linked to national healthcare databases. This provides accurate information on residents’ hospital admissions, emergency care records and primary care prescriptions.
The resulting dataset is then shared with University College London for academic research, while care home-level data feeds a tracking dashboard run by the UK Health Security Agency. Ultimately, the project demonstrates the feasibility of cross-sector data sharing between private providers, digital vendors and national health systems to better understand and protect a highly vulnerable population, without adding administrative burdens to care home staff.
Yetty Adepegba, Village Manager at Eden Court, said:
“We were absolutely delighted to host the Vivaldi Social Care team at Eden Court, along with so many distinguished organisations. It is incredibly rewarding to see our home at the forefront of such vital national research, which directly contributes to enhancing the health, safety and well-being of our residents and the wider care community.”
Following the presentation, attendees were given the unique opportunity to hear reflections on the Vivaldi initiative from prominent national health leaders. Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department of Health and Social Care and Dr Gail Marzetti, Director of Science, Research and Evidence at the Department of Health and Social Care, shared their insights on the project’s national significance before a Q&A allowed guests to delve deeper into the practical applications of the research.
“The Vivaldi Social Care programme shows what can be achieved when the care sector partners with universities and policy organisations to design and deliver research that directly addresses residents’ needs”
Professor Laura Shallcross MBE, Professor of Public Health & Translational Data Science
Institute of Health Informatics, UCL
Zoe Fry OBE, Director of Nursing at The Outstanding Society, said:
“What makes the Vivaldi Social Care programme so important is that it has been built with the care sector, not simply for it. By working in genuine partnership with care providers, residents, researchers and policymakers, the programme demonstrates the power of co-production in creating evidence that is both meaningful and practical. As a nurse, I have seen first-hand the difference that better information and shared learning can make to people’s lives. Initiatives like VIVALDI help ensure that the experiences of those living and working in care homes are reflected in research, shaping improvements that support better outcomes, reduce inequalities and strengthen care for the future.”
“The Vivaldi programme highlights how the system can work together to improve outcomes for care home residents by linking data across sectors to support prevention, earlier intervention and more joined-up care closer to home.” DHSC Chief Scientific Adviser – Professor Lucy Chappell
For further information please visit Vivaldi Social Care
