The government is encouraging care providers across the UK to adopt a Digital Social Care Record (DSCR) system by 2024 – with the NHS Transformation Directorate currently providing funding to assist care providers with the transition.
Going digital will ultimately give carers more time to care and reduce the burden of onerous yet essential administrative tasks.
Why care providers need to embrace the shift
One of the fundamental benefits of care providers adopting a Digital Social Care Record (DSCR) system is to ensure data is being captured at the point of care and can be shared between care settings. The system will also transform how care providers work, help deliver better, safer care for service users in a more person-centred way and help to save time.
Using a Digital Social Care Record (DSCR) system will reduce the daily administrative workloads of care staff, saving care providers an hour a day and allowing them to spend more time with their residents, forming meaningful connections.
Compared to paper-based systems, a Digital Social Care Record (DSCR) system, such as Person Centred Software’s icon-based Digital Care System, is more reliable, improves efficiency, supports care workers, and is suitable for carers of any digital skill level. In addition, the system is easy to use, fast and requires minimal typing. It’s also ideal for people who don’t speak English natively or have dyslexia.
Technology now, more than ever, is eliminating human error. In the world of social care, this can assist with reducing risks associated with medication errors, dehydration, and missed visits, providing real-time information about the care received.
A Digital Social Care Record can also ensure that care providers are aware of when people’s needs change and allow for a quick response by offering an up-to-date secure view of each resident’s health and care information. Furthermore, it enables easy storage of care notes and requires less physical space, ensuring the data is protected, accurate and able to be shared easily.
Prioritise person-centred care
In its simplest form, a person-centred approach to care means focusing care on the needs of the individual, ensuring that their preferences, needs, and values are taken into account when making clinical decisions, all whilst providing respectful and responsive care. A Digital Social Care Record system allows care providers to create comprehensive person-centred care plans as well as access residents’ preferences and essential information at the point of care when and where it’s needed. Easy access to all this information is indispensable in a care setting. Using a Digital Social Care Record system can help your care home stand out, attracting more people and increasing occupancy rates.
Person Centred Software’s Digital Care System (Digital Social Care Record) is an example of technology that serves to address all of the above, as it’s the first fully mobile, easy-to-use digital care management system for evidencing care.
The Digital Care System’s person-centred care plans feature helps to ensure each resident’s needs are being met with detailed care plans, ensuring carers are fully aware of each resident’s care needs.
For care providers considering a Digital Social Care Record system, it’s a good idea to speak with several providers who have already made the digital transition to determine which system would fit best.
Additionally, care providers must ask themselves why they need a Digital Social Care Record system in the first place. The system is required to meet the government target of going digital by 2024, but are you looking for a system that integrates with an electronic medication management system? Are you looking for a system that helps improve your CQC ratings? Or are you looking for a system that assists with preventing dehydration and monitoring nutrition among residents? Etc.
Whatever the case, there is a wide range of technological solutions, which is only set to broaden and accelerate over the next few years.
What impact will AI and machine learning have on health and social care in the future?
The future of healthcare lies in predictive models that can effectively harness the power of data collection. In addition, these models will allow early intervention and reduce the need and reliance on people using health services in the future.
The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare has been ground-breaking and has become increasingly common, helping to improve patient experiences, assist the workforce, and improve the system’s efficiency.
For example, AI and data science can revolutionise how we diagnose and treat diseases, providing many benefits in early detection, such as identifying a person’s risk factors.
In the near future, AI data processing may soon lead to digital systems that can help make informed assessments about a patient’s condition and prompt earlier investigation and treatment – For example, predicting pain when a patient is otherwise incapacitated with dementia.
The social care sector is set to experience more changes in 2023, with AI and digital care at the forefront. To effectively harness the power of data, care providers must embrace digital social care records and other care technologies to ensure they focus on making a meaningful difference in the lives of their residents.
About the author
Andrew Coles is the Chief Product Officer at Person Centred Software, a digital care technology pioneer. Founded in 2013 to improve the quality of life for people in social care, Person Centred Software has become an award-winning global company with over 3,500 care providers in the UK alone using its digital care management system (digital social care record). With over 30 years of experience developing technology for the care sector, Person Centred Software knows passion creates the best opportunity for real change.