We help councils learn and share across the sector so that all local areas can benefit.
Discharge
The aims of the SCDIA Digital Discharge to Assess project were to develop a cloud-based case management system that did not depend on a single IT partner or supplier; allow users (with appropriate permissions) to capture, update, track, and report on data about a person’s journey through the Discharge to Assess process; create a ‘single version of the truth’, with a raft of associated patient benefits and service efficiencies.
Problem statement: How might we better prepare people to make decisions about their life and support after leaving hospital?
Lewisham discovery report (pdf) Lewisham - final report (pdf)
Equalities, diversity and inclusion
This collaborative project set out to help people with learning disabilities live more independently, particularly after the Covid pandemic. This was done by developing and implementing virtual support through a provider that guides people through information and learning materials to develop their employability and better manage their mental health and wellbeing.
TECHKNOW is an online resource supporting adults with learning disabilities and carers find technology to help them be more independent.
Cambridgeshire Progress Report - July 2019 (pdf) Cambridgeshire Discovery Phase Review - October 2019 (pdf) Cambridgeshire Discovery Phase Case Study - November 2019 (pdf) Cambridgeshire implementation progress report – June 2020 (pdf) Sharing the learning: TECHknow guide to care technology – November 2020 (pdf)
Helping residents travel in their daily lives and overcome any anxieties or accessibility issues they face by creating an easy-to-read, use and follow map with navigation aids, such as pictures of landmarks.
Read the case study: Helping people with daily travel with digital maps
Camden Progress Report - July 2019 (pdf) Camden Discovery Phase Review - October 2019 (pdf) Camden Discovery Phase Case Study - November 2019 (pdf) Camden implementation progress report – June 2020 (pdf) Sharing the learning: Connected Communities independent travel map – November 2020 (pdf)
Problem statement: How can we help young people to achieve their goals as they move into adulthood?
Summary: Assistive technology to support 18 service users with complex learning disabilities based in supported living facilities and to train the workforce to look for assistive technology when planning all care.
Partners: Argenti
Outcomes: More personalised, independence enhancing support and quicker response to issues
Projected savings: £2,000 per user
Read the London Borough of Barnet case study (pdf).
Video: providers and a learning disabled service user in supported living in Barnet.
Blog from Barnet on the nine success factors for digital social care projects.
This project aimed to understand more about the challenges service users with a learning disability and or autism experience during the communications and conversations with social workers.
South Tyneside: discovery phase review (pdf) Watch the South Tyneside Council video South Tyneside Implementation Phase report (June 2019) (pdf) Video: Developing Natter Notes in South Tyneside
This project aimed to enhance the role that information/digital technology play in helping people with autism and learning difficulties developing their own solutions.
Wirral: discovery phase review (pdf) Watch the Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council video Wirral : implementation phase update (pdf)
Home care
Problem statement: How might we offer joined up care at home that empowers people to feel in control of their life?
Problem statement: How might we help people with moderate to severe frailty to receive joined up care that supports them to live at home?
This project aimed to improve home care communications, rostering, tracking of visits, outcomes and costs.
NE Lincolnshire Progress Report - July 2019 NE Lincolnshire Discovery Phase Review - October 2019 NE Lincolnshire Discovery Phase Case Study - November 2019
Using information and data
Digitally integrating care homes into the health and care system to ensure personalised, joined up care
Summary: Enabling residential/nursing homes to access electronic shared care records with health services.
Outcomes: Prevent avoidable emergency admissions, improve the experience of residents and improve the quality of service.
Projected savings: Reducing non-elective admissions (£366,000) and improving efficiencies in social care (£40,000).
Read the Luton Council case study.
Summary: Enabling supported living providers to access care management data, including reporting activity/cost information via a portal
Partner: OLM Livewell South West
Outcomes: Help CCG/Council commissioning team monitor performance to improve quality, support outcome based care planning for residents
Projected Savings: 15 per cent on care packages (up to £850,000 for social care and £900,000 for health)
Read the Plymouth City Council case study.
Summary: Providing mental health professionals with effective mobile technology to access real time Information Management System
Outcomes: Enabling informed decisions using accurate clinical, social care and risk data with improved outcomes for service users
Projected savings: Increasing productivity of mental health professionals (£47,100 per annum)
Read the Solihull Council case study.
Summary: Online Care Plan tool shared with all professionals (with consent) in order that clients only have to tell their story once.
Outcomes: Up-to-date care plans (My Voice, My Choice) uploaded onto partners’ systems to enable better care planning and improved choices
Projected savings: Reducing duplication of work (£144,000 per annum).
Read the Stockton-on-Tees case study.
Summary: Developing digital medication adherence records to be used in Liverpool's care homes
Partner: Liverpool Care Homes Partnership CIC Liverpool CCG
Outcomes: Reducing medication errors and free up care home staff time.
Projected savings: Better home care management (a total saving of £117,120 is possible).
Read the Liverpool City Council case study.
Summary: Shared comprehensive record system to allow social care staff access to real-time acute, mental health, primary and community health information.
Partners: Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Connected Nottinghamshire
Outcomes: Efficient use of practitioners' time to access client data
Projected savings: 5 per cent of social workers' time saved (£2,100 per year) and £25,272 saved in reduction in bed numbers.
Presentation at LGA’s Digital Showcase on 22 November
Nottinghamshire County Council case study
Blog on lessons from the development of Nottinghamshire Health and Care Portal
AccordThe Multi-Agency Safeguarding Tracker creates a data driven digital approach enabling information from multiple safeguarding bodies to be easily and securely shared, matched and anonymised. ion content.
The 2019/20 programme focused on the recommendations for local commissioners and service providers and aimed to raise awareness across councils and adult social care providers of the importance of data and cyber security – and of what they can do to adopt appropriate safeguards.
The report, Adult social care data and cyber security programme report 2019-20, includes five case studies covering:
DSPT and NHSmail: London Borough of Barnet, Central Bedfordshire Council, Durham County Council, Shropshire Partners in Care, Staffordshire County Council, West Midlands Care Association. The safer use of smart phones and other mobile devices: Manor Community, North Yorkshire County Council, Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Care Association.
IPC also published four case studies, written in collaboration with participating providers, that illustrate some of the good practice in data and cyber security.
Staff training and awareness: Blackburn with Darwen Council, Care England, East Midlands Care Limited, Nottingham City Council. Adopting new technology: Dorset Partners in Care, Hampshire Care Association, North Tyneside Council, Stonewater and First City Nursing, Wiltshire Care Partnership. Implementing safe data and cyber security practices: Lincolnshire Care Association, National Care Forum, Nottinghamshire County Council, Voluntary Organisations Disability Group and Association of Mental Health Providers.
Combining large data sets and applying predictive analytics, machine learning and data modelling to better understand current demand, predict and prevent future demand.
Read the case study: Using data mapping to inform care decisions
Shropshire - Discovery Phase review (pdf) Shropshire - Implementation Phase update (pdf) Shropshire Implementation Phase Report – July 2019 (pdf)
Summary: Aligning systems using the same social care database (Mosaic) to support integrated working across council boundaries with Cambridgeshire.
Partner: Cambridgeshire County Council Servelec (Mosaic).
Outcomes: Better ways of working across boundaries with a better aligned service for the consumer.
Projected savings: More agile working in social care (£125,000), better information and analytics (£163,000) and reducing high-cost placements (£500,000).
Summary: Proof of concept study with software provider to support a digital pathway to manage homecare provision across Liverpool
Partners: Liverpool City Council Knowsley Council
Outcomes: Joined-up process for requesting home care services and a real-time view of service requests, delivery and capacity.
Projected savings: Reduced delayed discharges of care and a reduction in permanent residential admissions (minimum of £222,000 saving).
Read the Sefton and Knowsley case study (pdf)
Summary: Project to introduce shared data across five councils in the West Midlands covering DTOC and reason for hospital admission.
Partners: PredictX Outcomes: Reduce DTOC via factor analysis and reduced admission
Projected Savings: Reduced admissions from nursing and residential homes, housing engagement and through falls (evaluation partner to quantify)
Read the Wolverhampton case study (pdf)
Summary: Linking council, health and VCS datasets to identify residents with specific long term conditions to generate uptake in a new digital CBT tool.
Partners: City and Hackney CCG SilverCloud
Outcomes: Better behavioural insights intelligence and more eligible residents signed up to the digital CBT tool.
Projected savings: Not projected but likely reduction in service reliance for users
Summary: The North East saw a common challenge across their staff and working together with the TSA have been able to implement a regional wide approach to upskilling staff in digital and technology skills. This upskilling of staff has resulted in increased confidence as reported by staff and an increase in care technology referrals. This case study by the North East region also provides an example of work which fits within our What Good Looks Like for Adult Social Care, particularly success measures Support Workforce and Empower People.
Summary: Care technology when considered as part of a holistic support offer means it can be used effectively to support people’s independence and positively impact on their lives. Taking a simple approach to upskill staff in digital and technology skills, better utilise an existing community equipment contract and embed care technology into social care assessments has resulted in a culture change within Central Bedfordshire Council and has resulted in an estimated £800,000 savings and a successful referral rate of more than 95% for care technology referrals.
Prevention
Problem statement: How might we enable people with current and future care needs (and their communities) to support themselves and each other?
Development and implementation of a progressive web-based application to support carers to deliver effective hydration care and prevent dehydration in care homes
Read the case study: Improving hydration for care home residents
- North Somerset Progress Report - July 2019 (pdf)
- North Somerset Discovery Phase Review - October 2019 (pdf)
- North Somerset Discovery Phase Case Study - November 2019 (pdf)
- North Somerset implementation progress report – June 2020 (pdf)
- haring the learning: Project Hydration Innovation – November 2020 (pdf)
Working with Safe Steps to adapt their care homes falls risk assessment and prevention app to be used in community settings
Read the case studyLPreventing falls in the community with the Safe Steps mobile app
Exploring how community equipment provided at the right time to maximise independence.
Service design
See how a 12-week home care discovery in North East Lincolnshire has helped staff and users reshape how this service could be delivered in future.
Read the case study: North East Lincolnshire and the provision of homecare
See how NHS Digital has worked with those who receive care, their carers as well as health and social care professionals to understand the social care information needs of older people.
Read the case study: NHS Digital and the social care information needs of older people
See how our partner Snook has helped care organisation Car Gomm take a design approach to improving services and developing the innovation capacity of staff.
Exploring how to make it easier for all people, including those not readily able to navigate websites, to connect to community initiatives by building a bridge between community information available and residents.
Giving the individual control of the financial assessment process through exploring a digital self-service approach.
Lincolnshire: discovery phase review (pdf)
User experience
Problem statement: How might we improve people’s experiences of accessing information and advice through multiple different access points?
Problem statement: How might we improve people’s experiences of receiving equipment at home?
Problem statement: How might we help people in their 50s / 60s access services and information that can help improve their health and wellbeing?
Problem statement: How might we improve people’s experiences of and involvement in the planning of their life with care?
Problem statement: How might we help people living with mild frailty to manage and have more control over their health and wellbeing?
Enabling a prototype of a self-service care account to be created into a working online self-service account giving service users access to their information 24/7 and ultimately more control.
Read the case study: Online care plans give people more control
Implementing digital tools to enable remote assessments for adaptations and equipment for clients
Read the case study: Improving assessment for home adaptions using smartphones
- Derbyshire Progress Report - July 2019 (pdf)
- Derbyshire Discovery Phase Review - October 2019 (pdf)
- Derbyshire Discovery Phase Case Study - November 2019 (pdf)
- Derbyshire implementation progress report – June 2020 (pdf)
- Sharing the learning: Using digital technology to enhance occupational therapy assessments – November 2020 (pdf)
This project was designed to speed up and support individuals to complete financial assessments for social care and reduce failed care packages.
Read the case study: Online self-service financial assessment for social care
A new process for booking and allocating appointments for social workers, care managers and therapists.
Norfolk Progress Report - July 2019 (pdf)
Norfolk Discovery Phase Review - October 2019 (pdf)
Norfolk Discovery Phase Case Study - November 2019 (pdf)
Pilot of Norfolk Community Advice Network's electronic referral system - Norfolk County Council
Summary: Customer service client referral system to generate, track and follow-up social care client referrals to local organisations.
Partner: Norfolk Community Advice Network
Outcomes: Improving the quality of information and advice, improved customer experience, and helping users remain independent for longer.
Projected savings: Projected to keep 52 people independent for longer and achieve savings of £238,000
Read the Norfolk case study: Pilot of Norfolk Community Advice Network's electronic referral system (pdf).
Summary: Extend My Community ePurse system which supports purchasing social care/equipment via personal budget online system to people with personal health budgets
Partners: Watson Care Manager (IBM) NHS Harrow Clinical Commissioning Group
Outcomes: Better coordinated and personalised care
Projected Savings: 7 per cent cost saving per Personal Health Budget - £70,000 in project period
Read the London Borough of Harrow case study: System to support Integrated Personal Health Budgets (pdf)
Summary: Creating a digital tool for assessing individuals outcomes of voluntary sector care navigation approach
Partner: Leicestershire Health Informatics Service
Outcomes: Enhanced independence of residents by identification of most effective community resources.
Projected savings: 10 per cent saving on their homecare spend (£2.8m pa) and delay uptake of statutory services by 4-6 months (£850k pa)
Read the case study: How iterative approaches can enable faster, smarter working (pdf)
Summary: Using a third party tool to measure the impact of non-medical interventions on the health and care system.
Outcomes: Impact measured by number of non-medical interventions reducing need for health services.
Projected savings: Linked to STP savings of £3,000,000 in 2017/18 (evaluation work will separate any savings).
Summary: Improve their information, advice and guidance web offer by developing a virtual assistant service on their Connect to Support platform.
Partner: University of Bradford
Outcomes: Better assistance for self-assessments and support for decision making about the care needs of themselves or others.
Projected savings: Prevention of uptake to traditional services (£275,000)
Read the Bradford Council case study: Digital Navigation Tool for Social Care
Video updating Bradford’s progress to create a digital navigation tool updating Bradford’s progress to create a digital navigation tool.
Five local authorities co-funded discovery work unearthing benefits and challenges of digital medicines support in domiciliary care. A clear recommendation from commercial discovery was the need for a stakeholder specification.
Read the case study: Digital medicines support in domiciliary care
Funding was provided for a series of engagement events to raise awareness of cobot (collaborative robot) technology and the potential benefits it can offer the UK care sector.
How can we minimise the risk, impact and number of falls by encouraging people to stay active and live life to the full, through use and take up of technology.
Identifying informal carers and developing awareness of the local offer of support and services
Summary: Piloting a range of assistive technology and diagnostic apps and devices within their reablement and rehabilitation service
Partners: TSA Virgin Care
Outcomes: Users remain in their own home for longer, non-elective admissions reduced
Projected savings: 0.8 per cent reduction in residential admissions (£165,000 p/a) Contribute to reduction in non-elective admissions (£187,000 p/a)
Summary: Piloting video calls as part of care packages amongst individuals in the short-term support and reablement service.
Partners: Essex Cares Limited Breezie Speakset
Outcomes: Improved health and medicine management and better access to community support
Projected Savings: 40 per cent reduction in physical visits projected for service users
Read the Essex County Council case study
Summary: Trialling the use of the Amazon Echo (voice-activated home audio speaker) with 50 adult social care service users
Partners: Argenti Amazon
Outcomes: Reduced social isolation, increased reassurance of family
Projected savings: £7,700 of cashable savings for the 6-month pathfinder project. Estimate of £66,300 for 50 users (full year)
Promoting safe independent living and focusing on service user outcomes which can be supported by using Assistive Technology.
Addressing the recruitment and retention problems within the health and social care market through exploring portability of employment checks and evidence of training completion
Discovering the potential role for robotics by testing public perceptions and understanding what objections people may have to robotics being deployed as part of the care and support solution.
Increasing the impact of assistive technology products, including products linking into monitoring centres or viewed by family carers.
Developing a scorecard to test the effectiveness of assistive technology and designing a platform to present all the data collected by the products