Safely and effectively sharing information between health and social care organisations is essential to delivering truly integrated care – which is better, safer and more personalised to the individual, and will help ease the burden on hard-pressed health and care professionals.

The adult social care sector employs more than 1.5 million people – more than the NHS - through a combination of public, private and third sector provision.

When the Digitising Social Care (DiSC) programme launched 2 years ago, just 40% of adult social care providers were digital first. The majority were using paper-based care planning systems.

Designed to transform adult social care through digital innovation, the DiSC programme is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and is delivered by a joint team of DHSC and NHS England colleagues.

By offering clear advice and guidance to the social care sector about the benefits and ways to make the switch to digital, the DiSC programme is supporting care providers in everything from accessing funding and choosing suppliers to using a single set of standard data definitions. This is key to the successful use of digital social care records, which mean better, safer and more personalised care for everyone. 

The DiSC programme has put adult social care providers, and the people they care for, at the heart of its work. So, if you’re a hard-pressed registered care manager keen to embrace digital technologies, but short of time to plan and implement it – the DiSC team is here to help. They offer strategic advice and guidance, practical how-to guides and assuring and listing approved suppliers of digital care record solutions, to reduce the research burden on providers. 

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The new digital system has had a massive impact on my working day, as well as on the residents and staff. It allows staff much more time to spend with residents … and the richness of data recorded on individual resident’s daily notes is amazing. It’s much more person centred than when we recorded on paper.
Natalie Heaven, Registered Care Home Manager

Now more than 60% of care providers have a digital social care record solution – enabling staff to operate far more efficiently and effectively. The benefits include improved access to information, less time spent by care staff on admin and more time to devote to the people in their care, and the ability to generate, analyse and share data, both within the organisation and with partners. The ability to safely share relevant information between health and social care organisations is fundamental to delivering person-centred care.

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Adult Social Care providers who were helped to introduce a DSCR into their settings, have started realising the real-life benefits…which extend beyond the usual areas of improved note keeping and faster access to information. After installing their DSCR, the provider started experiencing a general change of staff and resident’s attitudes towards technology. The home started including digital elements in more aspects of their care delivery. The highlight of this cultural shift was the production of a short movie, with residents taking charge in starring, directing, and editing the film, using digital tools.
Alex Gavriilidis, Strategic Commissioning Lead at Dorset Council

For information and advice visit supporting social care providers to go digital.

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Stephanie Nimmo

Senior Communications Manager

Digitising Social Care (DiSC) programme