Shropshire Star

Shropshire hosts adult social care pilot scheme

Shropshire Council has been chosen to pioneer cutting-edge adult social care technology.

Published
Shropshire Council will pilot a new project for the Government

Caroline Dinenage, minister for care, has announced the nine local authorities which will be piloting digital projects as part of a government-funded programme exploring how technology can help shape the future of social care.

Shropshire Council will take forward a pilot to develop a data visualisation tool to allow care homes and home care organisations to identify key areas of need.

The initiative is funded by NHS Digital and managed by the Local Government Association.

The news has been welcomed by Andy Begley, who is Shropshire Council’s director of adult social care and housing and chair of West Midlands Association of Directors of Adult Social Services.

He said: “This is fantastic news. Our digital visualisation programme looks to address the growing demand in social care by working with providers to co-design a system and help promote people’s health and well-being.

"This is so they do not deteriorate to the point where they need extensive and costly support.

"It does this by combining large data sets and applying predictive analytics, machine learning and data modelling to better understand current demand, predict and prevent future demand.

“To date the project has gained a deeper insight into digital technology.

"By using this insight alongside big data from health and social care, it allows us to better understand and strengthen the provider markets and gain deeper and more insightful profiles of our communities.

"This will allow care homes and home care organisations to identify key areas of need.”

Delighted

Lee Chapman, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for adult services, health and social housing, said he was delighted.

He said: "This is testament to the hard work and innovation of our officers and partners who are developing pioneering work to help address and resolve the social care challenges we face.

“I would like to thank NHS Digital and Local Government Association for giving us this opportunity to further develop our work.

"Our programme will provide us with the insight and tools to predict and prevent crisis by addressing the needs of older and vulnerable people, and those with chronic diseases much earlier, and help keep them safe and well in their own homes for longer.“

Projects in other areas will include looking at the potential role of robotics and ways of expanding assistive home-based technology.

Ms Dinenage said: “Cutting edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence and robotics, offer exciting new opportunities for the care sector.

“For example, virtual assistants, now in many homes across the country, can help people live more independently, reduce their social isolation and maintain their dignity through better self-management of health and care needs at home.

“Exploring these possibilities does not mean we are seeking to substitute technology for people.

"We know that the best technology liberates and enhances human interaction, it doesn’t side-line or exclude it."

The nine successful councils were Shropshire, Bracknell Forest, Havering, Isle of Wight, Lincolnshire, Nottingham, Stockport, Sunderland and The Wirral.