Is technology always the answer?

Being the CEO of a software company, it might surprise you to hear me say that tech isn’t always the answer.

Already squeezed care organisations are being pushed to digitise right now. The current government drive is for 80% of social care providers to have a digital social care record that can interoperate with a local Shared Care Record by March 2024 (and yes that objective did already move from 90% by the end of 2023).

Meanwhile, there’s an estimated 30% of care providers that are still using paper-based systems for care records (according to NHSX research from 2020) with another third using some mixture of software and paper.

But the answer must not be tech for tech’s sake. There is too much danger of repeating the failings of paper in an electronic system.

It’s against this climate that we wanted to do something to give struggling care providers a helping hand on the road to digitisation. So we put together a guide and workbook to implementing care software, which we’ve recently updated for 2022/23.

‘Implementing care software’ has been developed to help home care providers navigate the complex and time-consuming process of finding and acquiring the right care management software for their business. It takes the reader on a step-by-step journey through key project milestones – from building a business case, to searching for well-matched software providers, to evaluating options, and finally rolling out a new system.

Alongside expert articles, it features practical exercises which are founded in tried and tested project management methodologies – to offer support to small and medium sized care organisations that might not have access to an IT or procurement team.

I’d love to know whether you have found this guide useful.

Download your copy: https://www.uniqueiq.co.uk/implementing-care-software/

Other sources of support with digitisation

• Adult Social Care Digital Transformation Fund – regional funds for CQC registered adult social care providers to adopt technologies that can transform care
• Digital Social Care Records Assured Supplier List – a quick, easy and informed purchasing process for digital record software
• Digital Readiness Tool - online self-assessment tool to understand your strengths as well as what might be blocking your way
• Digital Technology in Social Care – guidance and training materials aimed at social care leaders and managers