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How new social care technology will transform care management


Ric Thompson, managing director of Advanced Health and Care, explains how new technology is set to revolutionise the delivery of residential care


The adoption of new technology by healthcare providers accelerated dramatically in the aftermath of the pandemic, with some commentators estimating that digital transformation leapt forward by seven years in the space of two. Innovative health tech emerged at an unprecedented speed and scale, encompassing new innovations in clinical equipment, online GP software, and NHS mobile phone apps.


Regrettably the same cannot be said for social care technology. The care industry has lagged far behind the healthcare industry when it comes to the development and uptake of software solutions. However, the UK care industry is on the cusp of a digital transformation with the emergence of revolutionary new tech solutions.


What challenges are faced by social care providers in terms of digital technology? New independent research commissioned by Advanced, based on a survey of around 500 UK care organisations, has revealed a range of technology challenges faced by care providers which are hindering progress.


1. Reliance on manual processes According to the research, the vast majority of care providers are still dependent on manual processes to run their operations. Seventy-four per cent of respondents said they have had to develop their own manual processes to manage their operations.


This will come as no surprise to senior managers working in care, who have


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traditionally had to rely on spreadsheets or even paper-based systems to run their day- to-day operations.


2. Lack of visibility The survey also reveals that many care leaders are struggling to manage their organisations, due to insufficient visibility of their business operations. This can be due to a lack of management information, or the result of not having a suitable care management software solution in place. For example, 57 per cent of CEOs stated that they had insufficient technology with which to run their organisation.


This finding highlights the pressing need for digital solutions to be adopted in social care in the same way that they have been within healthcare services.


3.Too many systems and a lack of integration The study also reveals the wide use of multiple, disparate systems, with neither


How would you describe the way your organisation uses technology?


n 49 per cent of all respondents said they have insufficient modern technology to support the running of their organisation


n 57 per cent of CEOs & MDs of care home organisations said they have insufficient modern technology


CARE HOME


ENVIRONMENT


Volume 8 Issue 4 April 2023 www.thecarehomeenvironment.com


How new social care technology will transform care management


Building a community at Chartwell House Sustainability & hot water


system speaking to each other. This not only presents a problem at company level as it leads to duplicate work; it also poses practical issues at departmental level when it comes to the delivery of straightforward tasks like recruitment, staff training, rostering, and payroll.


More than half of all care leaders stated that they were unable to see the availability of team members for specific times in the week, making rostering challenging. And two thirds of large organisations said that coordinating staff training was complicated.


Why has social care technology failed to keep up with health technology? Given these problems, there is clearly a need for social care to enhance its adoption of digital technology. However, the sector has so far failed to keep pace with healthcare. There are several reasons why technological innovation in social care has not matched the scale seen in healthcare.


1. A constantly changing industry The world of care and support is rapidly changing, with different models of care emerging and thousands of organisations delivering more than one care type across multiple locations. This presents a host of logistical and financial challenges which have made a single software solution challenging to design and build.


2. Lack of funding The sector has been held back by being under-resourced for several years, in comparison to the increase in funding


www.thecarehomeenvironment.com April 2023


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