Welcome to the website of the VIS project

User Guide for Social Care Staff                      User Guide for Care Home Staff            User Guide for the Public

• Two user guides are available above - the first is aimed at Social Care staff and the second has been designed for Care Home staff.

• Home managers can change any demographic details relating to their home or homes at any time by accessing the website using their user name and password which was issued by 'carevista' staff via email.  This can also be done via email to support@carevista.net.

• In the event that a home manager or social care practitioner does not have a user name or password or has forgotten their details, please email support@carevista.net..

• If a home has been omitted from the system please inform us of the name of the home and the area in which it is located, along with the name and contact details either email or telephone of the manager.  We will then add your home and provide you with a user name and password which will allow you to submit and  / or amend the details and then submit your vacancy details.

You may find some of the following Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) useful.

1.    What is VIS?

2.    Who is responsible for VIS?

3.    What information is held on VIS? 

4.    How has VIS been evaluated?

5.    How can I find out more about VIS?

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1.    VIS is the Vacancy Information System. It is an established and exciting service that assists Social Services and NHS staff work with home providers and families & carers to identify vacancies in residential and nursing care homes.

South Gloucestershire, Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset councils and local NHS and Primary Care Trusts, commissioned the vacancy information service, that ensures that all homes are able to advertise their vacancies and facilities in real time to members of the public and health and social care staff.

We have been working closely with provider forums and care associations along with the CSCI for this service. 

Home providers are able to advertise vacancies within their care home via Internet access, at any time of the day or night and as often as they like. All this comes at no cost to providers.

The service, which is the only free, real time vacancy service for care homes offers significant benefits in terms of occupancy rates, savings in administration time and sharing information effectively with health and social care staff as well as families and carers searching for suitable vacancies. We are keen to make sure that the service is of benefit to all care home providers, small as well as large. 

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2.    The Project Board is responsible for overseeing the system – it is made up of representatives from each of the Councils, home providers and users and also a technical representative.

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3.    The following information is held by the system:

• Name of home manager 

• Home name

• Address including Postcode 

• Home owner 

• Telephone 

• Fax 

• Email

• Website

• No of beds in the home

• Nursing care availability

• A brief summary of the home’s Statement of Purpose 

• A brief care provider summary

• Links to the CSCI reports

• Client types accepted (as per CSCI criteira)

• Photographs of the home

• Facilities available including 

Day care facilities
Dietician available
Activity programme
Secure garden
Ground floor rooms
Specific faith/cultural facilities
Smoking allowed
Pets permitted
Public transport links
Visitor’s accommodation
Stair lift or lift
Television room/lounge
Resident’s telephone point
Hairdressing services
Some own furniture allowed

Vacancy details including

Gender
Type of room
Fee band of vacancy
Date of vacancy, current or future

Membership of national or local association

Any additional information that a home wishes to display will be considered by the Board and is likely to be hosted

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4.    Evaluation of VIS

The project board was responsible for overseeing the evaluation process. It took the form of a questionnaire to home providers and social care practitioners. Although the exact details varied between councils, an example of the type of question asked is below:

All users
1.    Have you used the VIS system?
2.    How did you use it?

2a If you used the website, did you find it easy to use?
2b If you used the telephone, how did you find the service you were given?

Home providers only
3.    Have you been contacted by Care Managers due to VIS?
4.    Have you had any placements made as a result?
5.    If placements were being made exclusively via VIS, would you use it?

Care practitioners only
3.    Was the information you received up to date?
4.    Did you receive the type of information you needed?
5.    Did you achieve the result that you wanted?

All users
6.    How could we improve the system?
7.    Please rank the following suggestions for extending the service to other agencies in order of priority for you. (1 = highest priority, 4 = lowest priority)
8.    Any other comments about VIS?

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5.    If you require more information or have any questions about the information above please email support@carevista.net.