Greater use of technology in the care sector has the potential to mitigate some of its challenges from staff shortages to economic and environmental sustainability.
Increased digitisation could deliver efficiencies for all staff, improve communication, cut down on administrative costs and make life easier for service users and social care staff. New processes such as virtual wards can provide a great alternative to hospital care, especially for older people, for whom a stay in hospital can have many negative side effects. But their introduction needs the right clinical support, support and training for care staff, and recognition that staff are taking on additional, skilled, delegated healthcare activities.
Our survey showed two clear areas of social care where greater use of technology could have the most positive impact: 45% of respondents identified “easier meetings and better communication”, while 44% selected “providing greater supported opportunities for people both within care homes and who live independently”.
Meetings and communication
The Covid pandemic was a catalyst that helped accelerate the uptake of technology within the care sector. Like many other sectors, the care sector had to adopt to new methods of communication during the pandemic. Mark Lee singled out the positive development of remote learning for those who would otherwise find school attendance a challenge.
Support for people being cared for
Pauline Shepherd highlighted the use of technology to support people staying in their own homes, such as incontinence pads that alert care workers if they are wet or soiled to avoid the personal intrusion of checking clients, and devices that pre-package and remotely monitor medicines.
28%
the main barrier for the perception that older people will not want to use technology
Some supportive technology looks futuristic. Jane Towson, Chief Executive of the Homecare Association, envisages devices to help people get out of bed and robots that can fold laundry, brush hair and even prepare entire meals. “If there are not enough professional carers in future to support an ageing population, I’d rather have a robot if it means I can stay home and still live reasonably independently rather than have to go into residential care.”
Sustainability
Survey results identified the greater use of technology as the most popular way to make it easier for care providers and the care sector to be more environmentally sustainable, with 42% of respondents choosing this option, while investment in technology was the top choice, at 57%, as the best way make it easier for care providers to be more economically sustainable.
Some supportive technology looks futuristic. Jane Towson, Chief Executive of the Homecare Association, envisages devices to help people get out of bed and robots that can fold laundry, brush hair and even prepare entire meals. “If there are not enough professional carers in future to support an ageing population, I’d rather have a robot if it means I can stay home and still live reasonably independently rather than have to go into residential care.”
Barriers to increased use of technology
The main barriers to increased digitisation and greater use of technology in the care sector identified by the survey are “the perception that older people will not want to use technology” – the main barrier for 28% – followed by “the workforce may be worried about learning a new way of working”, chosen by 19%.
Mark Lee and Jane Townson also highlighted issues with legacy systems that don’t talk to each other.
Regulatory changes need to be on the agenda of care organisations, says Wendy Cotton, technical line manager for social welfare at Markel UK.
“As part of the 2024 strategy in social care, the CQC are going to be introducing regulation that will require greater implementation of technology and data method, with the goal of at least 80% of social providers having a digitised care record in place,” says Cotton.
Charlotte Rowe, care practice manager, Markel Care Practitioners says: “What is important when implementing new ways of working or technology is a robust change management strategy to help mitigate and address the barriers in place. Working with a specialist consultancy, such as MCP, will benefit care organisations when they are looking to implement this.”