Future-proofing social care: navigating digital transformation

he social care sector stands at a critical crossroads. Our growing ageing population is putting unprecedented pressure on a sector that has also suffered longstanding underfunding and changes in government policy. While the NHS is often at the front of the queue for funding, as an equally fundamental element in the national infrastructure, social care has struggled to achieve parity.

Having a mutually functional relationship between the two is crucial. Social care can relieve pressure on the NHS, but the lack of capacity in the care sector also frequently leads to hospital bed blocking, overloading NHS services. The implementation of more consistent, strategic, and increased funding for the social care sector will benefit both sectors — expanding tight margins for social care while easing the demand within the NHS.

One of the most pressing challenges is the sector's reliance on public sector contracts, which leaves providers vulnerable to changes in political direction and funding cuts. The abolition of workforce development funds and the exclusion of social care from National Insurance exemptions both highlight the need for transformed focus that ensures a social care system that is fit for purpose — and fit for the future. Meanwhile, disparate policy decisions such as restricting overseas visas for social care workers — while granting the NHS more flexible terms, have exacerbated workforce shortages in care.