Overview
Headquarters: Garforth, United Kingdom
Category: Care and Nursing Home Management (Non-Clinical Operations)
Core Product: CoolCare (cloud-based care home administration software)
Introduction
CoolCare is a UK-based provider of care home administration software, designed to simplify management tasks and improve efficiency across residential and nursing care homes. With decades of sector experience through its parent group, LNT, which has built and operated care homes, CoolCare has been developed from a position of deep industry knowledge.
The platform focuses on non-clinical operations, offering tools for staff rostering, time and attendance, HR and training, invoicing, billing, occupancy management, and enquiry tracking. By digitising these processes, CoolCare reduces administrative burdens, improves financial oversight, and frees up staff time to focus on resident care.
CoolCare has become a trusted partner for care home operators across the UK, with its intuitive design, measurable cost savings, and strong customer support frequently cited as key differentiators.
User Feedback: Strengths and Weaknesses
Publicly available feedback for CoolCare comes from customer surveys, case studies, and independent review platforms. Overall, user sentiment is strongly positive, though some areas for improvement are noted.
Positive Feedback
Ease of use and adoption
CoolCare is widely praised for its intuitive interface. In a 2024 customer survey, over 75% of respondents agreed that the software is easy to use, with 87% recommending it to others.
Time savings and efficiency
Users consistently highlight the time saved through automation of payroll, invoicing, and rota management. One provider reported reducing payroll administration from 23 hours per month to just 4 hours.
Financial impact
CoolCare’s “Snap-to-Shift” technology, which ensures staff are only paid for worked hours, has been credited with saving tens of thousands of pounds annually across large care groups.
Operational oversight
Managers value the ability to view occupancy, enquiries, and staffing data in real time, often via mobile dashboards. This visibility supports better decision-making and compliance.
Support and training
Testimonials frequently mention responsive support and effective onboarding. Training is described as interactive and tailored, with staff quickly gaining confidence in the system.
Profitability and occupancy gains
Care homes using CoolCare report higher-than-average occupancy rates and fees, with some achieving 11% higher fees and 4% higher occupancy than national averages.
Negative Feedback
Feature requests
Some users suggest enhancements to rota flexibility, attendance tracking, and staff portal functionality.
Learning curve for advanced features
While the system is intuitive, certain advanced modules (e.g., recruitment management, invoicing rules) may require additional training.
Integration breadth
CoolCare integrates with Person Centred Software for care records, but details on wider interoperability (e.g., pharmacy or GP systems) are less extensive than some competitors.
Customisation limits
Although flexible, some users note that highly bespoke workflows may require workarounds.
In summary, user sentiment is strongly positive around usability, efficiency, and financial savings. The main caveats lie in integration breadth, feature requests, and the need for training on advanced modules.
Products and Capabilities
CoolCare (Cloud SaaS Platform)
CoolCare’s flagship product is a cloud-based platform designed to digitise non-clinical operations in care homes. Key features include:
Occupancy and enquiry management: Tools to track enquiries, manage admissions, and monitor occupancy performance. Homes report faster conversion times and higher self-funded resident proportions.
Staff rostering and time & attendance: Automated rostering, shift management, and biometric clock-ins ensure accurate payroll and reduce reliance on agency staff.
HR and training: Modules for managing staff records, training compliance, and absence tracking.
Invoicing and billing: Automated invoicing rules streamline complex billing processes, reducing days of work to minutes.
Payroll and workforce management: Snap-to-Shift technology ensures accurate payroll, reducing discrepancies and saving thousands annually.
Mobile dashboards: Managers can access real-time data on occupancy, staffing, and finances from any device.
Visitor and reception management: Digital visitor sign-in and connected reception tools improve compliance and visitor experience.
Interoperability and Standards
CoolCare integrates with Person Centred Software, enabling automatic transfer of staff and resident data into care records. This reduces duplication and ensures new admissions have care records in place.
While CoolCare’s interoperability is growing, details on broader integrations (e.g., pharmacy, GP, or finance systems) are less publicly documented than some competitors.
Market Position
CoolCare operates primarily in the UK care home market, serving residential and nursing homes of all sizes. It differentiates itself through:
Financial impact: Demonstrated cost savings and revenue gains through efficiency and occupancy improvements.
Ease of use: Frequently cited as one of the most intuitive platforms in the sector.
Industry knowledge: Developed by a company with decades of direct care home operating experience.
Focus on non-clinical operations: Complementing clinical systems by addressing the administrative backbone of care homes.
Competitors include CareBlox, Care Control, and Person Centred Software’s administration modules. CoolCare positions itself as the user-friendly, financially impactful alternative.
Implementation and Support
CoolCare emphasises easy installation and onboarding. As a cloud-hosted system, it can be accessed from any web-enabled device. Case studies highlight smooth rollouts, with staff quickly adapting to the intuitive interface.
Training is interactive and tailored, with support staff frequently praised for responsiveness and knowledge. Ongoing support is described as proactive, with a “here to help” ethos.
Security and Data Protection
CoolCare is hosted in the cloud with built‑in firewall protection and global accessibility, ensuring providers can securely access the system from multiple locations. The platform supports accountability through audit trails, time‑stamped records, and change tracking, giving organisations clear oversight of user activity and data handling. These measures provide a foundation of transparency and operational security for care providers.
While CoolCare highlights its focus on compliance and security, detailed information on certifications such as ISO or SOC 2 is not extensively published. As part of due diligence, buyers are advised to request specifics on the platform’s encryption standards, backup processes, and security audits during procurement to fully assess its security posture and suitability for their requirements.
Conclusion
CoolCare is a leading UK provider of care home administration software, with a strong reputation for usability, efficiency, and financial impact. Its strength lies in digitising non-clinical operations, from rostering and payroll to invoicing and occupancy management, freeing staff to focus on resident care.
User feedback consistently highlights ease of use, time savings, and responsive support, while challenges centre around integration breadth, feature requests, and training for advanced modules.
For care home providers seeking a user-friendly, financially impactful platform to streamline administration, CoolCare represents a credible and proven option. Its industry roots, measurable ROI, and focus on non-clinical operations set it apart in a competitive market.
References
CoolCare Official Website – Care Home Management Software https://coolcare.co.uk/
Care England – CoolCare: Using Tech to Drive Profitability in Care Homes (2025) https://www.careengland.org.uk/coolcare-using-tech-to-drive-profitability/
Person Centred Software – CoolCare Partner Overview https://personcentredsoftware.com/care-ecosystem/our-partners/coolcare
CoolCare – Customer Survey Results 2024 https://coolcare.co.uk/news-help/care-home-management-2/
Trustburn – CoolCare Software Reviews https://trustburn.com/reviews/coolcare-software
National Care Forum – CoolCare Ltd Partner Overview https://www.nationalcareforum.org.uk/partners/coolcare-ltd/
