Nurse Call Systems for
Care Homes

Nurse Call System FAQs

• What is a call bell system for care homes?

  A call bell system for care homes is a purpose-built communication solution that enables care home residents to quickly and easily request help when needed from their carers. Call bell systems for care homes, such as those developed by us, use wireless technology to ensure comprehensive coverage throughout a care facility, improving safety and staff responsiveness. Residents can trigger alerts using simple, accessible devices such as wearable pendants, wall-mounted buttons, or pull cords. Once activated, these alerts are sent directly to staff via central displays, mobile apps, or pagers, allowing for swift and coordinated responses. Courtney Thorne’s platforms for nursing homes, such as Altra Care and Connect, also support cloud-based monitoring, real-time reporting, and integration with care planning tools, helping care homes deliver high-quality, efficient care while meeting compliance standards.

• How does a wireless nurse call system benefit a Care Home?

  Running cables around a care home is both very disruptive and costly, even where legacy cables exist it is likely that they will be many years old and unreliable – which could represent risks to health and safety. In older buildings the risk of exposing asbestos when routing cables has the potential to shut a home or wing down completely. A wireless call bell system for care homes circumvents this issue entirely and can be installed in a quicker, safer, and more efficient manner overall.

  Our call bell systems for care homes also enable residents to request assistance through various devices, including wearable pendants, pull cords, and wall-mounted buttons, ensuring help is always within reach through a variety of different mediums. The integration of cloud-based reporting tools, like CT Cloud, allows for real-time monitoring and detailed analytics, supporting compliance with care standards and aiding in informed decision-making. Our call bell systems for care homes can even be optimised to better support the unique needs of your facility via various nurse call Accessories, such as triggers, displays, and paging systems.

• What reporting capabilities are available with a nurse call system for care homes?

  The Courtney Thorne Touch Screen of a nurse call system for care homes also serves as its heart; it stores in its memory every alarm trigger, and associated data such as the time taken to respond, who responded etc. This data can be downloaded directly from the Touch Screen of our call bell systems for care homes as an Excel file. Many customers choose to have this data compiled into useful reports delivered straight to their inbox with Courtney Thorne’s CT Cloud service.

• Are our nurse call systems for care homes compatible with mobile devices?

  Our nurse call systems for care homes are modern solutions that are all fully compatible with smart mobile devices, as well as desktops and tablets. Our Altra Care range of call bell systems for care homes work incredibly well with mobiles by relaying calls, alerts, and valuable information over to connected devices (like smartphones) with ease. Our CT Cloud reporting solution for care homes is also capable of delivering bespoke reports to your email or browser via PC, tablets, and smartphones.

• Are Courtney Thorne nurse call systems for care homes protected?

  All of our nurse call systems for care homes are protected under warranty. Our Altra Care nurse call systems for care homes come with a three-year warranty, and all parts manufactured by Courtney Thorne are covered fully by this warranty (e.g. screens, door contacts, bathroom units etc.).

  All supplementary elements that were not produced by us, however (for example, floor mats, beds, and chairs) would not be covered by this warranty. Upon the expiration of this warranty on your call bell systems for care homes, you can choose to extend it through one of our service contracts. These can be built bespoke for the exact needs of your care home and come in three, four and five star plans respectively. Click here to learn more about how our service contracts work.

• How long does it take to install a nurse call system for care homes?

  On average, our nurse call systems for care homes can take anywhere from one to five days to install, depending on the size and scope of both the care home in question and the system, with the most consistent time being around two to three days. For more information on how long your nurse call system for care homes might take to install, be sure to get in touch with us and we can discuss your project in more detail.

• Is training available for our nurse call systems for care homes?

  We can offer your care staff a wide variety of training courses that will cover all aspects of our nurse call systems for care homes, ensuring that your staff have all the knowledge they need to provide your residents with quality care. In addition to this, we can also offer your staff a selection of user guides and how-to videos, which can be found on our website in the Support section. All these resources are available completely free of charge from just a click away.

• What are the different types of call bells in care homes?

  A call bell is a device designed to attract attention or signal for aid, typically activated by pressing a button that emits a sound. In a care home setting, a call bell (often a cord or button) allows patients to alert nurses when they urgently need assistance. Our nurse call systems for care homes offer a variety of call bell styles, including:

  • Resident Call Button: This is a large, orange-illuminated button typically located by the patient’s bedside. It is the most prominent and visible button across all our systems.
  • Staff Emergency Switch: A smaller button positioned beneath the main patient call button, intended for staff to use in emergencies.
  • Reset Switch: The smallest button in the system, used to reset a patient-nurse call after it’s initiated.
  • Cardiac Unit: Equipped with a call button, these units are part of our Altra Health Cardiac series, specifically designed to alert nurses to cardiac events.
  • Push Lead: Found in our Altra range, push leads serve as an alternative call bell for patients, designed for easy access and use from bedsides and bathrooms.

• What is the best type of call bell for care homes?

  In care homes, where residents may have varying mobility and cognitive needs, the right call bell button needs to be chosen for your call bell system for care homes. For example, wireless call buttons provide vital flexibility and ease of use. Wearable options like pendants and wristbands allow residents to call for help from anywhere in the facility, supporting both safety and independence. Simple, user-friendly designs, featuring single-button operation and clear labelling, are essential to ensure accessibility for all residents, including those with visual, physical, or cognitive impairments. These features help care home staff respond quickly, while also promoting higher resident confidence and autonomy. You can learn more about call bell types by reading our blog article discussing the different types of call bell button here.

• Where are our nurse call systems for care homes built?

  Courtney Thorne is a leading UK-based company with an in-house research and development team dedicated to innovating and refining nurse call systems for care homes. We manufacture our call bell system for care homes across three locations in Southern England, ensuring high-quality goods while supporting local economies. By keeping our R&D and manufacturing teams close, we enable seamless collaboration and the swift implementation of new ideas. For more details on where our nurse call systems for care homes are produced and to better understand our operations, please visit our Where We Work page.