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Care trends 2026: unlocking the future of digital transformation
The OneAdvanced Business Trends Report is a trusted benchmark for the care sector, offering actionable insights into a fast shifting landscape. Sam Vernon, new business sales manager at OneAdvanced, gives us an overview
The care sector stands at a defining moment. As we look towards 2026, the landscape is shifting rapidly, driven by technological advancement, regulatory changes, and evolving societal needs. Our 10th Annual OneAdvanced Trends Report draws on the latest insights from providers and leaders across the industry, benchmarking them against critical sectors such as healthcare and education. The findings reveal a sector confronting both unparalleled challenges and remarkable opportunities. AI has evolved into the backbone of
modern care, connecting services, platforms, and relationships amid geopolitical complexity, environmental pressures, and a focus on trust, resilience, and user outcomes.
AI at the centre: the new context for care AI now sits at the heart of the care sector’s transformation. Far from being a peripheral toolset, AI is integral to managing everything from daily operations to complex service user needs. Macro forces like political, environmental, regulatory, cultural, and economic are converging to drive both the speed of change and the complexity of decisions care leaders face. The pivotal role of responsible innovation
was brought to the forefront at our recent OneAdvanced Social Care Summit 2025. This event signalled the sector’s appetite for change, bringing together leading voices for a day packed with insight. The central theme was responsible technology, with a special focus on the practical and ethical use of AI. The unveiling of the latest Care Trends report by Care England grounded
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www.thecarehomeenvironment.com February 2026
our discussions in hard data, while sessions on AI governance, employee wellbeing, and regulatory updates provided a holistic view of the road ahead.
Care Business
Financial Management Care Billing Care Procurement Purchase Invoice Automation Operational Risk Manageme
Learning from our neighbours: health and social housing When we look at adjacent sectors like health and social housing, we see similar pressures but often different stages of digital maturity. The health sector has historically been quicker to adopt large-scale digital infrastructure, yet it often grapples with legacy systems that hinder agility. They have the data but moving it freely remains a challenge. Social housing, meanwhile, has arguably made faster strides in integrating tenant-facing portals with back-end systems. The care sector sits uniquely between these
two worlds. It requires the clinical precision of health but the community focus of social housing. This position offers a unique
The integration gap: challenges beneath the surface Despite the rapid pace of technology adoption, integration remains the sector’s principal stumbling block. Our report reveals a ‘platform paradox’ – investment in digital solutions is strong, but providers continue to report high levels of software misalignment. Many organisations are stuck in ‘automation purgatory’, where disconnected systems and manual interventions undermine ambitions for seamless, efficient care delivery. This is a burden on frontline staff. When
Management Software The only complete Care Financial Management System designed exclusively for multi-site and larger providers; that offers total visibili and budget control, so you can focus on delivering high quality care while we handle your back-office complexities.
opportunity to learn from the stumbling blocks of adjacent sectors. We can observe how health has navigated interoperability, and how housing has improved user experience. The goal for care is to balance rapid digital adoption with the irreplaceable human element of service delivery. Political factors like digital sovereignty
and regulations shape workforce and digital strategies. Cyber resilience is vital for trust and stability, while environmental challenges demand innovative resource planning. AI-powered modelling helps anticipate risks, showing digital maturity is about sustainability as well as efficiency.
Volume 11 Issue 2 February 2026
CARE HOME
ENVIRONMENT
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com
Care trends 2026: unlocking the future of digital transformation
Digital laundry: creating safer and smarter environments
Selling your care home in a challenging market
systems do not talk to each other, care workers spend valuable time re-entering data, doubling their administrative load and increasing the risk of errors. The care sector can learn from
healthcare’s shift to Integrated Care Systems (ICS), emphasising interoperability and a ‘single source of truth’ for patient journeys. For care providers, the future lies in
THE
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