The aim of the Adult Social Care Transformation Fund is to try and ensure that at least 80% of CQC registered adult social care providers use digitised records by 2024.
What are the current numbers?
At the moment, 45% of CQC registered adult social care providers are partially digitised, with the remaining 55% still using paper-based systems.
What can digital social care provision do?
Digital transformation has the potential to enhance the quality and safety of care significantly – for both care givers and care service users.
By providing real-time data which is accessible through NHS integration, people can be assured that they will receive reliable care when they need it and that care teams have instant access to necessary information.
What is Digital Social Care?
Digital social care is an important part of the government’s plans to reform and modernise social care, and the Digitising Social Care Team in the NHS Transformation Directorate are making a total of £25 million available to Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) in 2022/23 to support CQC registered adult social care providers to adopt technologies that can transform care.
The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has defined digital social care as: “the use of technology to improve the delivery of social care services and support people to live independently”. This includes the use of digital tools and platforms such as those provided by Carebeans to support the delivery of social care services, as well as the use of digital technologies to help people manage their own care needs.
The fund will support the adult social care sector to;
- Adopt digital social care records (DSCR), also known as digital care plans, to ensure care teams have the most accurate, timely information at their fingertips to provide outstanding care
- Roll-out sensor-based falls prevention and detection technologies to support those at risk of falls, reducing the frequency and severity of falls-related injuries and preventing hospital admissions
- Test other care technologies based on local needs to further develop our understanding of what works.
What is an Integrated Care System (ICS)?
If you’re a CQC registered social care provider in England, you could get funding from your local Integrated Care System (ICS) to support your digital transformation.
An ICS is a partnership of NHS organisations, local authorities and other partners working together to deliver integrated health and care services. The aim is to improve population health and wellbeing, and reduce inequalities.
Each ICS has a different approach to digital social care, but all are committed to using technology to support the delivery of better care. Many ICSs are already investing in digital social care solutions, such as electronic care records and video conferencing.
If you’re not sure whether your local ICS offers funding for digital social care, the best way to find out is to contact them directly.
We have prepared a list of ICSs in England who currently have information in relation to funding. The list is regularly being added to, so don’t worry if your local ICS is not yet listed.
NORTH EAST YORKSHIRE
https://www.digitalsocialcare.co.uk/funding-opportunities/adult-social-care-digital-transformation-fund/north-east-yorkshire/
- Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care System
- South Yorkshire ICS
- West Yorkshire ICS
- North East & North Cumbria ICS
- Healthier Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System
- Greater Manchester Integrated Care System
- Cheshire & Merseyside ICS
- Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland ICS
- Black Country ICS
- Birmingham and Solihull ICS
- Herefordshire & Worcestershire ICS
- Joined Up Care Derbyshire
- Lincolnshire ICS
- Nottingham & Nottinghamshire ICS
- Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin ICS
- Staffordshire & Stoke on Trent ICS
- Northamptonshire Health and Care Partnership
- Coventry & Warwickshire ICS
EAST OF ENGLAND
https://www.digitalsocialcare.co.uk/funding-opportunities/adult-social-care-digital-transformation-fund/east-of-england/
- Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICS
- Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System
- Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System
- Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care System
- Hertfordshire & West Essex ICS
- Cambridgeshire & Peterborough ICS
- South West London Integrated Care System
- North Central London ICS
- South East London ICS
- Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire & Berkshire West Integrated Care System
- Hampshire & Isle of Wight Integrated Care System
- Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care System
- Sussex, Our Care Connected, Sussex Health and Care Partnership Integrated Care System
- Kent and Medway ICS
- Devon Integrated Care System
- Dorset Integrated Care System
- Gloucestershire Integrated Care System
- Somerset ICS
- Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire ICS
- Bath, Swindon and Wiltshire ICS
- Cornwall ICS
Funding
If you want to get digital social care funding from your ICS, there are a few things you need to do. First, you need to identify what your ICS is and how it works. Then, you need to find out what digital social care options are available from your local ICS. Finally, you need to make a case for why your ICS should fund your chosen digital social care option.
Your ICS is the body that funds social care in your area. In England, this is usually the NHS, but in other parts of the UK it may be different. To find out who funds social care in your area, you can contact your local authority or look online.
Once you know who funds social care in your area, you can start looking at what digital social care options are available. There are many different types of digital social care, so it is important to find one that will meet your needs. You can search for digital social care options online or speak to someone at your local authority or health service who can give you more information.
Once you have found a few potential digital social care options, you need to make a case for why your ICS should fund it. This means showing how the digital social care option will benefit those who use it and how it will save money in the long run. You will need to provide evidence to support your case, so make sure you do some research before making your proposal.
What is required for Digital Social Care?
Digital social care is a new and innovative way to provide care and support services to people in need. It uses digital technology to connect people who need care and support with those who can provide it.
Digital social care can be used to support people of all ages, including children, young people, adults, and older people. It can be used to support people with physical or mental health needs, as well as those who are socially isolated or have other specific needs.
Digital social care can be provided in a number of ways, including online support groups, online therapy, online courses, and one-to-one support. It can also be provided through face-to-face contact using video conferencing or other digital means.
How to get Digital Social Care Funding from your ICS
Carebeans are at the forefront of developing digital social care management systems dedicated to helping make the lives of service users as happy and healthy as possible.
But the switch to digital social care provision from a mainly paper-based system can appear a daunting and expensive task. But help is on hand from both the Government – in the form of funding – and from digital management systems providers such as Carebeans who are here to help you every step of the way.
Are you struggling to secure funding for your digital social care projects?
We know how frustrating it can be, especially when there’s a genuine need for innovation and improvement. But don’t worry – help is at hand.
Carebeans will guide you through the ins and outs of securing digital social care funding from your local Integrated Care System (ICS), from understanding the different types of funding available to preparing a winning proposal that stands out from the crowd.
Conclusion
Digital social care funding is an important component of the Integrated Care System and can help you to better provide services for your residents. By understanding the process, researching potential sources of funding, and reaching out to knowledgeable people in your ICS, you should be able to secure digital social care money for yourself.
With increased access to technology, more efficient communication between providers and clients, and a greater ability to meet mental health needs online, this type of funding will likely become even more necessary in the future as we continue down our path towards a more equitable healthcare system.
This fund provides much-needed assistance in the digital transformation of adult social care services, making it easier for providers to stay up-to-date with the latest technologies and ensure they are providing best-in-class service.
At Carebeans, we believe we have the best digital social care provision tools available on the market today:
Get in touch today to see how Carebeans can help in your transition to digital social care provision:
www.carebeans.co.uk
01925 386800
