A report backed by Care England and National Care Forum is calling for ring-fenced government investment in the development of digital technology for care homes.
The Residential Care Tech Landscape Review published by Future Care Capital (FCC) found there is a “significant gap in the market” in consumer technology for resident use.
“With a renewed interest in social care and new commitments in the Spending Review, there is an opportunity for the government to build on current progress and develop appropriate incentives for the development, uptake and scale of beneficial technology,” the report states.
“Research into the development of sustainable technology solutions that enable residents to manage their own care, to the degree they are able to, is recommended to future-proof the use of technology in residential care settings,” it adds.
Other recommended government interventions include a standardised way to capture the benefits of technology in residential care, and broader social care sector.
It would be appropriate, said FCC, for the reorganised NHS England strategy function (previously NHSX and Digital) to set realistic targets of digital transformation centrally and monitor the digitisation of care homes in England.
Parity of esteem between health and social care would also underpin progress in this area.
“We encourage the health and social care leadership to seize the integrated care system pportunity to advance this agenda.”
Care England chief executive Martin Green said: “The workforce crisis in care is acute. There is a real opportunity for technology to deliver where people have left the sector.
“The sector is not currently communicating its needs or challenges well enough. We need to get people in the care sector talking to designers and developers. If you clearly describe a challenge or problem, creative technology developers can design an appropriate solution.”
The full report can be read here.
The report will be discussed during a webinar on 14 December. The registration page can be found here.
