On 10 March 2021 the LGA ran a session with speakers on the topic of applying digital tools, technologies and approaches in social care. This pack provides a range of resources relating to that event to help both those who attended at the time and those who didn’t.
The scope of this issue
It is impossible not to think about our recent COVID experiences when thinking about the issue of technology in social care. Those many councils and care providers whose past decisions meant that they were able quickly to mobilise remotely, to share data, and to help connect individuals, carers and support networks were able to make tremendous progress in digital transformation – others can now benefit from what they were able to do.
As we emerge into a post-COVID world every council area will be different but we are likely to see some common themes of increased care home financial fragility due to lower demand and the aftereffects of additional costs, and new opportunities for technology supported care in the home.
This is a timely moment to consider the art of the possible, learn from pioneers, and in particular to understand the help and support that may be available to councils to progress this rapidly evolving agenda.
On the day, many of the points that came up related to issues of Connectivity and to Digital Inclusion which was the topic of a previous session in the series.
Learning from COVID-19 Response
LGA and ADASS report: Digital innovation in adult social care: how we’ve been supporting communities during COVID-19
Executive summary for councillors and directors of adult social care.
Leadership Challenges
- Organisations stifle innovation!
- Political leadership key to creating right conditions
- Personal stories
- It’s not about the Tech, think Lives not Services
- Leadership Narrative (Know enough not to be fobbed-off!)
- Principles of good Service Design hold good
- Inclusion and Citizen Tech more than Care Tech
- The Real Learning from COVID – Empowerment?
- SLI and working collectively – Adopt and Adapt
Key Questions for a Lead Member
- How are we keeping in touch with the best that is happening in digital innovation in health and care?
- How are we bringing that into our service development and budget planning?
- How are we rooting that in people and communities, so it's inclusion first, services later?
Tech Support Offer: See also key messages for senior leaders in our series of care technology thought pieces (commissioning, value creation and benefits, human-centred design)
Q&A
Q1: Can Housing Associations with Care Homes join these initiatives directly?
A1: At the moment, it is targeted at councils. However, the tools we have at the LGA are available to all. If they are CQC registered care provider they can get involved in the Joining Up Care initiative that is taking place in partnership between the LGA and NHSX.
Q2: With reference to phrase ‘rooting in people and communities, so it’s inclusion first, services later’. Does any of that tie into asset-based community development? And, in that low-level tech support such as assisting people to access zoom – is that part of the programme?
A2: Tech is an enabler. If you take an asset-based community development approach, you must think about how technology support can you to do this. We need to bring digital to the front and centre, as it is there to support all the objectives councils are trying to achieve.
Q3: Do you have any ideas on how we can communicate locally?
A3: With those who are inclined, we need to understand how this is helping them. Also, as councils, we will all have some front door and advice system that support people, and direct them towards support services. But generally, advice about digital is now a challenge for councils and not included in support provided to local communities.
Case studies
Case Study: Cheshire West and Chester
Cllr Louise Gittins, Leader of the council, made a video contribution to the session.
You can view Cheshire West and Chester Video, it lasts about 18 minutes and covers a wide range of social care-related topics as well as showing how the broader digital programme is closely grounded in community action.
Case Study: Lincolnshire County Council
Cllr Sue Woolley, Executive Member for NHS Liaison and Community Engagement, supported by Emma Scarth, Head of Service, Adult Care and Community Wellbeing spoke about the multiple initiatives carried out in Lincolnshire.
Information from that session is described in the next section.
Digital Transformation of Adult Care
Presented by Cllr Sue Woolley Lincolnshire/Emma Scarth
Introduction
Role of elected members in digital agenda
- Set vision and appetite for digital
- Focus on improving outcomes
- Supportive of innovation
- Digital approach should allow limited resources to focus on those most in need
Our Challenge
- Demand Forecasts for Social Care
- ADASS Peer Review
- Reducing Council Resources
- LGA Digital Maturity Assessment
We needed a shared vision for a Digital Roadmap
- Councillors
- Staff
- Residents
- Partners
AC&CW Digital Roadmap – Themes
Digital Citizen
Empowering the person and, where appropriate, their families and carers to maintain their own independence, manage their care and support needs, and interact with the council and care services in a way that is convenient and effective for them.
Digital Workforce
Supporting the care workforce in delivering high quality care at all times, as part of a network of professionals who:
- communicate easily with each other;
- have access to people's records and care plans at the right time;
- are supported by the best decision support and monitoring tools.
Digital Community
Integrating services across health and care so that people receive support and care in the place that is most convenient to them, whilst using health and care resources in the most effective way.
Whzan: Digital Health
- Telehealth early warning detection and monitoring kit, with pulseoximeter, blood pressure monitor, thermometer and tablet
- Kits rolled out to 266 care homes including newly appointed designated homes, with QDoctor video consultation software installed
Whzan is being used within care homes across Lincolnshire and aims to:
- Improve patient experience through the right care at the right time
- Reduce A&E admissions from Care Homes
- Reduce 999 call-outs to Care Homes
- Reduce unnecessary GP visits to Care Homes
- Improve the confidence and ownership of carers when dealing with health professionals
- Improve recognition and quick referrals to members of the Multi-Disciplinary Team
- Improve patient data flow between care providers and NHS
Video
- This is a link to a short video in Lincolnshire presentation demonstrating the Whzan kit - it’s about 80 seconds
Q&A
Q1: Do you know how many residents have been diagnosed with dementia and where they are within you council area?
A1: ES: Yes, we have a lot of that intelligence and we have a good data sharing arrangement with our local NHS
SW: This includes the whole of the NHS system, does not matter whether community, acute or mental health partnership trusts
Q2: How have you found the implementation of the roadmap - have one of the themes been more difficult to deliver than one of the other two?
A2: ES: There have been individual projects within themes that have been difficult, for instance some of the data sharing and getting the care portal set up. This is because it requires multiple systems to be joined and it involves so many different partners. Now that we’re live the rest becomes much easier. Also, in Lincolnshire have a good relationship with our care provider market.
Q3: Can Cllr Sue tell us what she is doing on ICS? How well informed are your members on ICS?
A3: SW: We recently agreed on a proposal for the ICS Partnership board and our Health and Wellbeing Board to become one board, which sets the strategic direction for health colleagues. As a result, membership might change. We are pragmatic in saying that we will run with it until April 2022.
Discussion
As part of the session we had a discussion in breakout groups about the issues that councillors are finding with this agenda. Some core themes were:
- The importance of considering the application of care tech to support carers in their vital work, and recognising that this is the way that many of the cared-for individuals will “access” technology
- A comment that whilst a lot of our focus has been on the frail elderly, the Learning Disabilities cohort have embraced the technology especially for remote meetings
- The tricky decision between seeking to build in-house capability to enable this sort of digital change versus buying it in
- Financial pressures, especially given the COVID aftermath, are having a slowing effect on digital transformation, for many
- The importance of helping the workforce, and in particular equipping them with good quality tech and connectivity options for remote working in the field (and at home)
- Recognition that investment in this sort of tech won’t necessarily result in realisable financial savings but it may increase capacity for better care – so need to be clear about what you are seeking to get out of this
Key resources
- The LGA slides above (4-21) contain a wealth of resources. Additionally, there is an extensive case study library on a wide range of topics.
- Resources for your officers including a Transformation and Innovation self-assessment tool
- A Society of IT Managers (SOCITM) programme on Health and Well Communities
- Digital Social Care’s Guide to Buying Social Care technology though this is predominantly aimed at care providers, as is the CQC guide to technology in care
- The NHS Digital Social Care Programme includes the LGA supported Social Care Digital Innovation Programme and co-funded Accelerator projects
Summary: some questions to consider asking
- How are we keeping in touch with the best that is happening in digital innovation in health and care? Is there an officer/lead member whose responsibility for this is clear?
- How are we bringing that into our service development and budget planning?
- How are we rooting that in people and communities, so it's inclusion first, services later?
- Is my council already doing any work in this area, that I can encourage?
- How well connected is my council with those who have developed great practice in this area (eg see resources earlier)?
- How can we build a required understanding of this agenda into the future recruitment of senior officers who are member appointments?
- Does my council’s scrutiny function have the background it needs to scrutinise this topic? Do my cabinet colleagues?
- In steering officers for areas to explore for next year’s budget, should this be an area for their work? Are officers in my council aware of the support resources set out on the previous pages?