USER GUIDE

AlwaysReady Care

Simple guide for care workers, seniors, and managers. No technical knowledge needed.

What is AlwaysReady Care?

AlwaysReady Care is a simple app that helps your care home record, review, and organise care evidence so you're always ready for a CQC inspection.

Think of it as a digital evidence folder that everyone on your team can add to, and your manager can review and export at any time.

What it does:

  • Records what care you gave — in text, photos, or incident reports
  • Organises everything into proper compliance categories automatically
  • Reviews — managers can approve or flag evidence
  • Tracks follow-up actions so nothing gets forgotten
  • Shows your compliance readiness score at a glance
  • Exports inspection-ready evidence packs in one click

What it does NOT do:

  • It does NOT replace your care planning system
  • It does NOT handle medication administration records (eMAR)
  • It does NOT do rostering, payroll, or HR
  • It works alongside your existing systems — it's just for evidence

Who uses it?

Care Workers Carer

You record evidence of the care you give. It takes less than 60 seconds. You can:

  • Record a text note about care you've given
  • Take a photo as evidence
  • Use a template to fill in quickly (e.g., "Medication Given")
  • Report an incident
  • See your follow-up actions

Senior Care Workers Senior

Everything a carer can do, plus:

  • Review evidence submitted by your team
  • Approve or send back for corrections

Managers & Directors Manager

Everything above, plus:

  • See your compliance readiness score — are you ready for CQC?
  • See which compliance areas have gaps
  • Generate an inspection pack to hand to an inspector
  • Track overdue follow-up actions across the team

Getting Started

1
Open the app

Your manager will give you a link. Open it in your phone or computer browser. No app to download.

2
Sign in

Use your email and password, or tap "Sign in with Google" if your home uses Google accounts. Your manager will set up your account.

3
You'll see your dashboard

This shows your daily stats, quick action buttons, and recent evidence. It's your home screen.

4
Start recording!

Tap "Record Evidence" to document the care you've given. Choose a template or write freely.

You can try the app without an account — just tap "Continue as Guest" on the login page to see how it works with sample data.

How to Record Care Evidence

1
Tap "Record Evidence" from the dashboard or sidebar

You'll see the evidence recording form.

2
Choose the type of evidence

Text — Write a note about what you did
Photo — Take or upload a photo
Incident — Report a fall, injury, or concern

3
Use a template (optional but recommended)

Templates help you include all the important details. Choose from:

  • Medication Given — drug, dose, time, route, response
  • Personal Care — washing, dressing, skin checks
  • Meal Support — what they ate, how much, fluid intake
  • Activity Participation — what activity, engagement level
  • Incident Occurred — what happened, actions taken, witnesses
4
Fill in the details and tap "Submit Evidence"

Your evidence is saved and sent to your senior or manager for review.

Try the AI Assist button — it reads your text and suggests tags, highlights risks, and recommends follow-up actions automatically.
Always record evidence as soon as possible after giving care. Fresh, timely records are more valuable to CQC than ones written at the end of a shift.

What does "AI Assist" do?

When you write care evidence, you can tap the AI Assist button. It reads your text and:

You're always in control — AI suggestions are just suggestions. You review and approve everything before it's saved.

AI does NOT make care decisions. It does NOT diagnose. It simply helps structure your notes into professional, inspection-ready records.

Reviewing Evidence (Seniors & Managers)

If you're a Senior Carer, Manager, or Director, you can review evidence submitted by your team.

1
Go to "Review Evidence" in the sidebar

You'll see all evidence waiting for review.

2
Read through each piece of evidence

Check it's accurate, complete, and professional.

3
Approve or Reject

Approve — the evidence is accepted and counts towards compliance.
Reject — you'll write a reason, and the carer can correct and resubmit.

Only approved evidence appears in inspection packs and compliance scores. Regular review keeps your readiness score high.

Compliance Readiness (Managers)

The Compliance Dashboard shows you at a glance whether your home is ready for a CQC inspection.

Readiness Score

A big percentage number showing how many compliance categories have evidence in the last 30 days. Aim for 80%+.

Compliance Gaps

A list of categories that are missing evidence. These are the areas CQC might ask about where you don't have recent documentation. Fix these first!

The 14 Categories

AlwaysReady Care tracks evidence across the key areas CQC inspectors look at:

Follow-up Actions

When something needs doing — like checking on a resident after a fall, or updating a care plan — it shows up as an action.

Overdue actions are a red flag for CQC. Keep your action list clean.

Inspection Packs (Managers)

When CQC comes knocking, you can generate an inspection pack in one click:

  1. Go to "Inspection Packs" in the sidebar
  2. Choose a date range (e.g., last 3 months)
  3. Optionally filter by evidence type
  4. Tap "Generate Pack"
  5. A professional, printable document downloads with all your approved evidence
Generate a pack every month as a practice run. If anything looks thin, you know where to focus your team's recording efforts.

Profile & Settings

Tap your name in the sidebar or go to "Profile & Settings" to:

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to download an app?

No. AlwaysReady Care runs in your web browser — Chrome, Safari, or any browser on your phone, tablet, or computer. Just open the link your manager gives you.

Is my data safe?

Yes. All data is encrypted and stored securely in the cloud. Only people from your care home can see your evidence. We follow UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 rules.

Can I use it on my phone?

Absolutely. The app works on phones, tablets, and computers. Most carers use it on their phone during or right after giving care.

What if I make a mistake?

You can resubmit evidence. If your manager rejects a submission, they'll tell you what needs fixing, and you can correct and resubmit.

Does the AI make care decisions?

No. The AI only helps organise your notes. It suggests tags and flags potential risks, but you always make the decisions. It never diagnoses, prescribes, or changes your care plans.

What happens when CQC inspects?

Your manager generates an inspection pack — a professional document with all approved evidence, organised by date and category. It proves your home is providing safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led services.

Can CQC see my data?

Not directly. Your manager shares evidence packs with CQC during inspections. CQC does not have login access to your account.

What if the internet goes down?

Currently, you need an internet connection to use AlwaysReady Care. Offline support is coming soon — you'll be able to record evidence offline and it will sync when you're back online.

How much does it cost?

Ask your manager or contact us. We have plans for small homes, medium groups, and large chains.

I'm not good with technology. Can I use this?

Yes! We designed AlwaysReady Care to be as simple as sending a text message. Choose a template, fill in the blanks, tap submit. That's it. If you can use WhatsApp, you can use this.

What's the difference between "Draft", "Submitted", and "Approved"?

Submitted — You've recorded the evidence, it's waiting for a senior or manager to review it.
Approved — A reviewer has checked it and confirmed it's good. It now counts towards compliance.
Rejected — Something needs fixing. Check the reason, correct it, and resubmit.

Why does my manager see more features than me?

Different roles have different access. Carers focus on recording evidence. Managers have extra tools like compliance dashboards and inspection packs. This keeps things simple for everyone.

Quick Reference Card

I want to... Go to...
Record what care I gave Record Evidence
Report an incident or fall Record Evidence → Incident
Check what I need to do today Dashboard or Actions
Review my team's evidence Review Evidence (seniors+)
See if we're ready for CQC Compliance (managers+)
Print evidence for an inspector Inspection Packs (managers+)
Change dark/light mode Sidebar → Theme toggle

Need Help?

If you're stuck or something isn't working:

  1. Ask your manager or senior — they can help with most questions
  2. Check this guide again — the FAQ covers common questions
  3. Contact support at support@alwaysreadycare.co.uk