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Lack of understanding is stifling adoption of technology enabled care , says new report
A new report says that technology enabled care ( TEC ) ‘ has proven itself across the health and care system – but multiple barriers stand in the way of wider adoption ’, while also revealing the concerns of adult social care leaders around lack of understanding and awareness , and the difficulties in building a case for investment and taking an integrated approach .
Around half of councils in the UK believe there is little or almost no understanding of technology enabled care across the health and social care workforce , the report finds .
And while 97 % of adult social care leaders agree that technology enabled care is an important way to respond to ‘ the tidal wave of demand and complexity ’ they face , eight in 10 say building a case for investment to achieve their goals remains a key challenge .
From ambition to action is the first state of the sector report on technology enabled care , produced by the TEC Services Association and PA Consulting . It was launched in Birmingham last month at the annual International Technology Enabled Care Conference , Empowering People ’ s Lives .
The report draws together a wealth of data , including a new in-depth survey of adult social care leaders from across the UK . All ( 100 %) of respondents to the survey regard technology enabled care services – using everything from traditional alarms and sensors to smart devices to help people maintain their independence – as a vital part of their social care offer .
However , the findings also show that technology enabled care is underutilised and has the potential to be used far more widely to transform lives . It identifies four key barriers : financial pressures , workforce challenges , integration of health and social care , and the digital switchover . Download From ambition to action at https :// bit . ly / 3vsKcP3 .
80 %
of adult social care leaders see building an investment case for TEC as their main challenge
Don ' t downplay mental health , RCOT tells government
Britain ’ s mental health culture is in danger of having ‘ gone too far ’ and ‘ normal anxieties of life ’ are being labelled as an illness , the Work and Pensions Secretary has said . Speaking as he unveiled plans to make 150,000 people signed off work with ‘ mild ’ conditions look for a job , Mel Stride said that the UK ’ s benefits bill was being pushed up by the problem . Commenting , RCOT Head of Practice and Workforce , Suhailah Mohammed , said : ‘ We need to be careful not to downplay mental health . Just as with physical health , people experience mental health problems in different ways , with some needing more support than others .
‘ We ’ ve come a long way in how we talk about mental health in the UK , but clearly , we still have some way to go . We should be creating work cultures that support people ’ s mental health and allow them to take sick leave when they need it , just as they would if they had a cold .’
She added : ‘ We ’ ve launched our first-ever Workforce Strategy , to make sure that occupational therapists are placed where they ’ re most needed to provide support for people ’ s physical and mental health .’
See pages 16-17 and read more at https :// bit . ly / 4aqm8f7 .
April 2024 OTnews 9