techUK Social Care Working Group: January 2022

27 Jan 2022 01:18 PM

Update from NHSX – Peter Skinner

Peter Skinner, Assistant Director of Programmes for NHSX, provided an update on current focus areas for his programme, including:

1. Introducing caretech that reduces demands on NHS
2. Reducing demand on other social care services
3. Improving quality and safety
4. Improving productivity

Peter gave the Working Group an overview of key progress updates, touching on the People at the Heart of Care White Paper, the Unified Tech Fund and ongoing pilots with 16 Integrated Care Systems on Digital Social Care Records and falls prevention tech. He outlined that NHSX have chosen to conduct this work through ICSs rather than via local authorities in order to ensure that social care is at the heart of these new systems.

Additionally, Peter emphasised that the work of the Adult Digital Social Care team at NHSX was not about directly transposing digital solutions from health into social care, but about developing a tailored blueprint for social care. This will consist of a What Good Looks Like for social care, as well as a vision for what a fully digitised care home or domiciliary care could look like, and the preconditions needed to achieve this.

Following discussion with the Working Group on the limitations of the existing evidence base for digital solutions in social care, techUK will be looking to gather evidence to share with NHSX, allowing the centre to leverage insights of the industry to demonstrate the value of caretech. Please get in touch if you are itnerested in contributing. 

Innovation in Social Care Deep Dive with Guy Giles from CC2i

Guy presented to the group the results of a survey commission by the London Office for Technology and Innovation (LOTI), which was designed to help local authorities establish an understanding of the available technology in social care.

Guy highlighted that London local authorities are keen to break away and find new ways of working, and CC2i are planning to hold a series of technology showcases as a result.  LOTI are still welcoming responses from suppliers, and you can contact guy.giles@cc2i.org.uk to find out more.

Show & Tell – Helena Zaum, Microsoft

This section of the Working Group session is designed to further collaboration and foster growth in the social care tech sector, hearing from a member on who they are, the social problems their tech solves, and the opportunities they see for other members to partner with them. This presentation from Microsoft’s Helena Zaum is the third in techUK’s digital social care marketplace, an area for members and stakeholders to browse. You can see the first session from IEG4 here, and the second session from WeMa here.

You can watch Helena’s presentation below:

Elections for Working Group Chair and Vice Chair

We will be holding elections to appoint both a Chair and a Vice-Chair for the Working Group. Nominations are open from Monday 24th January, until Friday 4th February. Please see below for a description of what the role entails, how to put yourself forward for the position, and how the elections will work.

Chair

• Chairing 4 sessions of the working group per year, as well as meeting with techUK in between these sessions to discuss relevant updates, prepare the agenda for the upcoming meeting, and liaise with relevant stakeholders as needed.
• Helping drive forward the Working Group’s aims and setting out a strategic vision for what the community can accomplish during your tenure.
• Attending the Department for Health and Social Care’s Digital Social Care Advisory Group meetings and representing the Social Care Working Group on the Health & Social Care Council, which meets 6 times a year and helps steers techUK’s social care activity whilst also being part of a vibrant social care tech ecosystem.
• Please note: if your organisation is already represented on the Health & Social Care Council then this seat will automatically be transferred to the Vice-Chair.

Vice-Chair

• The Vice-Chair will be expected to attend all meetings of the Social Care Working Group, and to lead these sessions when the Chair is unavailable.
• In addition, the Vice-Chair will also be expected to meet with techUK and the Chair in-between Working Group meetings to discuss relevant updates, prepare the agenda for the upcoming meeting, and liaise with relevant stakeholders as needed.
• The Vice-Chair will work alongside the Chair to develop and drive the vision for the Working Group.

How do I put myself forward?

• You may put yourself forward for one position or for both by emailing techUK at alex.lawrence@techuk.org.
• Each organisation may only put forward one member.
• Please provide a maximum of 200 words on why you would like to be Chair/Vice-Chair of this Working Group, and your aims/vision for its work.
• You have until 4th February to submit your nomination.

How will the elections work?

• There will be one vote per member company of the Working Group – if you usually have more than one representative attend these meetings, please discuss internally who will submit your votes.
• Once nominations have closed on February 4th, techUK will circulate all candidates and their statements on why they are standing for the position with the wider group. All votes must be submitted by 11th February.