Staff User Guide

Installing the App

Care App is a web app that can be installed on your phone like a regular app — no app store needed.

On Android (Chrome)

1. Open https://app.care-app.uk in Chrome
2. Tap the three dots menu (⋮) in the top right
3. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app
4. Tap Add or Install

On iPhone / iPad (Safari)

1. Open https://app.care-app.uk in Safari
2. Tap the Share button (the square with an arrow pointing up)
3. Scroll down and tap Add to Home Screen
4. Tap Add

Logging In

1. Open your web browser and go to app.care-app.uk
2. Enter your email address and password
3. Tap or click Sign In

Finding Your Way Around

The left-hand sidebar contains all sections of the app, organised into collapsible groups. Click any group name to expand it and reveal the pages inside. The group containing the page you are currently viewing opens automatically.

Group	Pages inside
Top level (always visible)	Dashboard, Search, Calendar
Client Care	Clients, Diary, Medication, Appointments, Checklists, Emergency Contacts, Handover
Daily Work	Tasks, Timesheets, Staff Chat, Noticeboard, Staff Feedback, Family Messages
Incidents	Incidents, Accident Book, Medication Errors
My Records	My Expenses, My Availability, Training, My Appraisals, My Policies, My eLearning
Rota & Scheduling	Rota, Holiday, Open Shifts, Staff Absences

Changing Your Password

1. Click your name or profile icon in the top right corner
2. Select Settings
3. Scroll to the Change Password section
4. Enter your current password, then your new password twice
5. Click Update Password

The Dashboard All Plans

When you log in you will see your Dashboard. This gives you a quick overview of:

• Your upcoming shifts
• Any outstanding tasks assigned to you
• Recent notifications
• Any medication or stock alerts relevant to you

Clocking In and Out All Plans

The Clock In / Out widget appears on your Dashboard. You must clock in at the start of each shift and clock out when you finish.

Clocking In

1. Open the app and go to your Dashboard
2. The widget will show your shift for today — the Clock In button becomes available 60 minutes before your shift start time
3. When prompted, allow the app to use your location — this is recorded alongside your clock-in
4. Tap Clock In

Clocking Out

1. Go to your Dashboard
2. The widget shows your clock-in time, how long you have been on shift, and when your shift ends
3. Tap Clock Out

Reminder Notifications

The system sends you automatic reminders to help you stay on top of clocking in and out:

• Forgot to clock in — if 15 minutes pass after your scheduled shift start with no clock-in recorded, you will receive a push notification reminding you to clock in. Your manager is also notified.
• Auto-clocked out — if your shift ends and you haven't clocked out, the system will clock you out automatically after 15 minutes and send you a notification to let you know. Check with your manager if the end time needs correcting.

Viewing Your Timesheet

1. Open Daily Work, then click Timesheets
2. You will see your clock-in history showing scheduled times, actual clock-in and clock-out times, and total duration
3. Filter by Today, Last 7 Days, Last 30 Days, or a custom date range

Sleep-in and Waking Night Shifts

If you work a sleep-in or waking night shift, your manager may update the shift type on your timesheet entry. You will see a coloured badge next to the entry:

• Purple "Sleep-in" badge — this shift is paid as a flat-rate sleep-in allowance
• Blue "Waking Night" badge — this shift is paid at the waking night hourly rate

If you believe your shift type is recorded incorrectly, contact your manager. They can update the entry before the next payroll run.

QR Visit Verification Domiciliary Residential

QR Visit Verification lets you confirm your presence at a client's home or care location by scanning a unique QR code. This gives your organisation an accurate, tamper-proof record of every visit.

Scanning In on Arrival

1. On arrival at the client's address, open the app and go to your Dashboard
2. Tap Scan QR Code — the camera will open
3. Point the camera at the QR code displayed at the client's property (e.g. on the noticeboard or inside the front door)
4. The app will confirm the visit has been verified — a green tick will appear

Property Locations QR All Plans

Some properties have a Property QR code displayed inside the front door or on the staff noticeboard. This is different from the client-level QR code — it logs your arrival and departure for the property as a whole, without being linked to any individual client.

Scanning In at a Property

1. On arrival at the property, find the QR code (usually posted inside the front door)
2. Open the camera on your phone and scan the QR code — or use a QR scanner app
3. The link will open in your browser. If you are not already logged in, you will be taken to the login page first — log in and the check-in page will appear
4. Make sure Check In is selected (it is the default)
5. Tap Confirm Check In
6. Allow the app to use your location when prompted — your GPS is recorded alongside the check-in

Scanning Out When You Leave

1. Scan the same QR code at the property
2. Tap Check Out
3. Add an optional note if there is anything to hand over (e.g. a concern about a client)
4. Tap Confirm Check Out

Your Shifts Professional Max Supported Living Domiciliary Learning Disability Residential Mental Health Nursing Home

Viewing Your Rota

1. Open Rota & Scheduling, then click Rota
2. You will see a weekly calendar view showing all shifts — your own shifts are highlighted
3. Scroll down below the calendar to see your Upcoming Shifts list

Requesting a Shift Swap

If you need to swap a shift with a colleague:

1. Open Rota & Scheduling and click Rota
2. Find your shift in the Upcoming Shifts section below the calendar
3. Click the Swap button next to the shift
4. Enter a reason for the swap
5. Optionally select a specific colleague you would like to swap with
6. Click Submit Request

My Visits Domiciliary All Plans

Found in Daily Work - My Visits. Designed for domiciliary (home care) staff. Shows your visits for the day in the order you need to complete them.

• Each visit card shows the client's name, their address, and your visit time window
• Tap Open in Maps on any card to open Google Maps for that address
• Between visits, a Get directions link appears - tap it to get a route from your previous client's address directly to the next one
• Use the arrows at the top to move between days and see upcoming or past visits
• Visits are loaded automatically from your rota - no extra setup needed

Active Shift Screen All Plans

When you are clocked in, a My Shift link appears in the sidebar (or as a prompt on your Dashboard). This is your shift hub — a single screen that gives you everything you need while you are on duty without having to navigate between pages.

Client Selection

If your shift covers more than one client, tap the client you are currently with. The screen will show information specific to that client. The app remembers which client you selected, so if you step away to log an observation and come back, it will open on the same client.

Logging Observations

Six observation shortcuts appear on the shift screen:

• Vital Signs — temperature, blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation
• Food & Fluid — meals eaten, fluid intake
• Sleep — sleep duration and quality
• Bowel — bowel movement record
• Seizures — seizure episode log
• Catheter — catheter output record

Tap any shortcut to open the form. When you save, you will be returned straight back to the shift screen rather than sent to the client's main profile.

Care Plan

A Care plan link appears next to the client's name. Tap it to view the client's active care plan. Use the back button at the top of the care plan page to return directly to your shift screen.

Appointments

Today's appointments for the selected client are listed on the shift screen. If there are no appointments scheduled, a "No appointments scheduled for today" message is shown.

Completing Your Shift

Use the shift screen's Complete Shift or Clock Out button when your shift ends. Do not forget to clock out — if you miss it, the system will auto clock you out after your scheduled end time and notify your manager.

Bidding on Open Shifts Professional Max

When your manager needs cover, they post an Open Shift that all staff can see. You can bid on any shift that suits your availability.

1. Open Rota & Scheduling in the sidebar, then click Open Shifts
2. Available shifts are listed with the date, time, location, and any required skills
3. Click Bid on any open shift you are available for
4. Add an optional note (e.g. "Available from 8am, have my own transport") and click Submit Bid
5. Once your bid is placed, you will see Bid placed on that shift

Holiday Requests Professional Max Supported Living Domiciliary Learning Disability Residential Mental Health Nursing Home

1. Open Rota & Scheduling, then click Holiday
2. Look for the Request Holiday button
3. Select your start and end date
4. Add any notes if needed
5. Click Submit

Your manager will review the request and you will receive a notification when a decision has been made.

My Availability Professional Max Supported Living Domiciliary Learning Disability Residential Mental Health Nursing Home

The My Availability section lets you tell your manager which days and times you are generally available to work. This helps when building the rota.

1. Open My Records, then click My Availability
2. For each day of the week, mark yourself as Available, Unavailable, or set specific available hours
3. Add any notes — for example, regular commitments on certain days
4. Click Save

Clients All Plans

Viewing a Client's Profile

1. Open Client Care, then click Clients
2. Select a client from the list
3. You will see their profile including personal details, care plan, support needs, and emergency contacts

Adding a Care Note / Diary Entry

1. Open Client Care, click Clients, and select the client
2. Click the Diary or Care Notes tab
3. Click Add Entry
4. Select the entry type (e.g. general note, personal care, behaviour)
5. Write your note — be clear, factual, and professional
6. Click Save

All entries are time-stamped with your name automatically.

Care Skills — Required Skills on a Client

Each client's profile may show a list of Required Skills — the specific care competencies needed to support that client (for example, PEG feeding, catheter care, or Makaton). Review these before working with a new client to ensure you are qualified and confident to deliver the care required.

1. Open Client Care, click Clients, and select the client
2. Click the Care Skills tab (if visible)
3. Review the required skills list — skills highlighted in amber or red may need attention from your manager

Voice Dictation All Plans

Several forms in the app have a Dictate button (microphone icon) that lets you speak your notes instead of typing. The speech is transcribed in real time as you talk.

Dictation is available on:

• Diary / Care Notes — the main content field
• Incident Reports — the description and actions taken fields
• Safeguarding Records — the description and immediate action fields
• Care Plans — each section of the care plan has its own Dictate button

Using Voice Dictation

1. Open the form and scroll to the field you want to dictate into
2. Tap the Dictate (microphone) button — the button will turn red to show it is listening
3. Speak clearly — your words appear in the text field in real time
4. Tap Stop when you have finished speaking
5. Review and edit the transcription before saving

Health Observations Supported Living Learning Disability Residential

The Health Observations section lets you record vital signs and physical observations for clients — for example, temperature, blood pressure, weight, or oxygen saturation. This is particularly important for clients with complex health needs.

Recording an Observation

1. Open Client Care, click Clients, and select the client
2. Click the Observations tab
3. Click Add Observation
4. Select the observation type (e.g. Temperature, Blood Pressure, Weight)
5. Enter the recorded value and the unit (e.g. 36.8°C)
6. Add any notes if the reading was unusual or the client reported symptoms
7. Click Save

Medication All Plans

Dose Reminders

If a client's medication has scheduled dose times set up by your manager, you will receive a push notification 30 minutes before each dose is due — but only if you have an active rota shift covering that client at that time. The notification tells you the client's name, the medication, and the scheduled dose time.

Logging a Medication

1. Open Client Care, click Clients, and select the client
2. Click the Medications tab
3. Click Log Medication
4. Select the medication from the list
5. Choose the action:
   • Administered — medication was given successfully
   • Refused — the client refused to take it
   • Missed — medication was not given (e.g. client was out)
6. Check the Count Before — this is auto-filled from the current stock level. Confirm it is correct
7. Enter the Count After — the number of tablets or doses remaining after this administration
8. Add any notes if relevant
9. Enter your Staff ID to confirm — this acts as your electronic signature
10. Click Submit Medication Log
11. A confirmation screen will appear — review the details and click Confirm & Submit

Requesting a Medication Reorder

If a client's medication is running low and needs reordering, you can submit a reorder request directly from the medication record. Your manager will be notified and can track the request through to delivery.

1. Open Client Care, click Clients, and select the client
2. Click the Medications tab
3. Click on the medication that needs reordering to open its record
4. Click the purple Request Reorder button
5. Optionally add a note — for example, "Only 3 days of supply remaining"
6. Click Submit Request

Tasks All Plans

1. Open Daily Work, then click Tasks
2. You will see tasks assigned to you
3. Click a task to view its details
4. When complete, mark it as Done

Staff Chat All Plans

Staff Chat is a real-time team channel for the whole organisation — a quick way to communicate with your colleagues without mixing care information into personal messaging apps.

1. Open Daily Work in the sidebar, then click Staff Chat
2. Type your message at the bottom and press Enter to send
3. Press Shift+Enter to add a new line within a message
4. Messages from you appear on the right; messages from others appear on the left

My Wellbeing Check-in All Plans

Your organisation may ask you to log a short daily wellbeing check-in so that your manager can offer support if you are struggling.

1. When prompted, select your mood for the day on a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (great)
2. Add an optional note if there is anything you would like your manager to know
3. Click Submit

Expenses All Plans

If your organisation uses expense tracking:

1. Open My Records, then click My Expenses
2. Click Add Expense
3. Fill in the details — amount, category, date, description
4. Upload a receipt photo if required
5. Click Save

Your manager will review and approve your expense claim.

Family Messages All Plans

The Family Messages section lets you communicate with the families and representatives of clients through a monitored messaging system.

1. Open Daily Work, then click Family Messages
2. Select the client thread you want to view or reply to
3. Type your message and click Send

My Policies All Plans

Your organisation may require you to read and acknowledge certain policies — for example, medication policies, lone working procedures, or data protection guidelines.

1. Open My Records, then click My Policies
2. You will see a list of policies assigned to you, including their status (unread, read, acknowledged)
3. Click a policy to open and read it
4. Once read, click Acknowledge to confirm you have read and understood the policy

Training Records All Plans

The Training section shows your personal training history — including certificates, expiry dates, and any mandatory training your organisation requires you to keep up to date.

1. Open My Records, then click Training
2. You will see a list of your training records, including course name, date completed, and expiry date (where applicable)
3. Records highlighted in amber are expiring soon — speak to your manager about renewal
4. Records highlighted in red have expired and need actioning urgently

Your Care Skills Profile

Your training records feed into your Care Skills Profile — a summary of which specialist care skills you are trained and qualified to deliver. Management use this to match the right staff to the right clients. If you believe a skill is missing from your profile, speak to your manager to have it added.

My Appraisals All Plans

Your manager will periodically complete a formal appraisal with you. Once done, the appraisal is saved in the app and you are asked to sign it off — confirming you have read it and had the opportunity to discuss it.

Viewing and Signing Off an Appraisal

1. Open My Records in the sidebar, then click My Appraisals
2. You will see a list of your appraisals. Any awaiting your sign-off will be highlighted
3. Click the appraisal to open it and read through the content
4. If you agree with the record and have had the opportunity to discuss it with your manager, click Acknowledge & Sign Off
5. Add an optional comment if you wish to note anything before signing
6. Click Confirm

My eLearning Max

The My eLearning section contains online training courses created by your management team. Some courses may be marked as mandatory and must be completed.

Finding and Starting a Course

1. Open My Records, then click My eLearning
2. Mandatory courses appear at the top — complete these first
3. Click on a course to open it
4. Work through each lesson using the lesson tabs
5. If a lesson includes a video, watch it in full before marking it complete
6. Click Mark as Complete at the bottom of each lesson

Completing a Course

Once all lessons in a course are marked complete, the course is automatically marked as finished and a completion badge is awarded. You can review completed courses at any time.

Notifications All Plans

The bell icon in the top right shows your notifications. Click it to see:

• Shift swap updates
• Holiday request decisions
• Task assignments
• Shift reminders (approximately 1 hour before your shift)
• Any alerts from your manager

The AI Support button (robot icon) in the header bar opens the in-app AI assistant — ask it any question about how to use the app.

Signing Out

Always sign out when you have finished, especially on a shared device:

1. Click your name or profile icon in the top right
2. Select Sign Out