Time is running out to get funding for Digital Care Records in home care! The Adult Social Care Transformation Fund is available to help care providers move away from paper-based admin and digitise their social care records. It is a key part of the government’s push to have 80% of social care providers using digital social care records by March 2025. However, the deadline for new applications is the end of November 2024.
There is a concentrated effort to align health and social care in the UK, with digital systems playing a fundamental role, as outlined in the 2021 white paper Integration and Innovation.
Implementing a digital system, or going through ‘digital transformation’ as it is more commonly posed can be intimidating. But the benefits are worth the investment. Digital systems can streamline your service, reducing time spent on admin and providing you with previously unavailable insights of the care you provide. There is never enough time to do everything in social care, but digital systems can help you to focus on the things that really matter to your community.
Funding for Digitisation
Money makes the world go round. It’s a simple fact, one that is felt keenly in home care. For many providers, digitisation was just another ‘nice to have’ aspect of care provision they could not justify in their budgets. This has since changed as more and more care providers digitise their processes. It is clear the government is moving towards digitisation in health and care, making digital social care records a ‘need to have’.
Fortunately, funding is available to any CQC registered care provider who has not used a digital social care record before. The funding is provided by your local Integrated Care System and the approved list of digital suppliers can be found on the Assured Solutions List. While funding varies between ICSs it generally covers 50% or more of your first year licence.
“The Adult Social Care Transformation Fund has been a great enabler for providers as they embark on their digital journeys”, explained Nourish Care’s Head of Partnerships, Denise Tack. “The funding alleviates the initial up-front implementation costs of going digital. It allows providers to rapidly gain access to essential care delivery tools such as GP Connect and eRedbag. Being able to carry a care plan in your pocket is highly transformational. Most of our customers tell me they could never go back to paper!”
How We Can Help
At Nourish we are well-versed in supporting care providers to succeed in gaining this funding, and our experience can help make all the difference when working on the reduced timelines new applicants now face. We have helped providers across all of the ICSs and we would be happy to help you too. Reach out to us with your postcode and we will give you the relevant contact details for your local ICS.
Once you have reached out to your local ICS they will send you a form to fill out for funding. We are on hand if you need advice while completing the application form.
It is important to note that in order to be eligible for funding care providers need to be CQC registered to support adults, be DSPT compliant, have NHS mail and be currently using paper.
Going Digital with Nourish
We have written previously about the benefits of switching from paper to digital processes. Digitisation impacts social care. Both at its fundamental level of point of care, as well as its regulatory level of decision-making. The future of a more integrated health and social care system lies in digital processes. Information sharing brings us closer together without sacrificing our privacy. Digital social care records are at the heart of that. And with the right funding, the right system, and the right support, you can be too.
Want to find out more about the funding or have any questions answered?
Reach out to us at hello@nourishcare.com, call us on 023 8000 2288 or book a demo of Nourish here.
