13 Apr 2022

London Office for Technology and Innovation publishes report into social care tech innovators

The London Office for Technology and Innovation (LOTI) has published an ‘Innovation in Social Care Deep Dive’. This includes findings from a survey it commissioned into social care innovation and aims to understand how digital solutions and technology can support health and social care services in 2022 and beyond.

techUK members have played an active role, feeding into the survey and supporting the collection of social innovation examples across key themes and categories. In turn, it is hoped that both LOTI and London Boroughs will be better able to understand what solutions exist as they look to drive new and effective digitally enabled models of social care.

With social care “at near breaking point” due to record demand, the impending digital switchover, and the introduction of the ‘cap and meter’ system in 2023, the findings and innovations from the survey will also expose London Boroughs to new social care suppliers, tools, and products, and it has been promoted by a range of sector partners, including techUK.

Key findings of the survey include over 80% of sector solutions being deployment ready (with 60% already listed on a procurement framework), and two thirds of solutions seeing the workforce and health/care professionals as the main user (with one third being designed and developed for people and patients). The authors clarify that despite generating a good spread of solutions across the core categories, some areas such as Special Needs Education and Early Intervention & Support for Children were under-represented.

Spotlight on social care innovators

Alongside the report, LOTI released a full database of UK-based social care technology innovators. This includes company contact information along with details of their products or solutions, pricing models, typical procurement frameworks, and applicability to the Integrated Care System (ICS) model. The aim of this exercise was to identify and then promote new, innovative, and potentially disruptive solutions across social care.

The database is a good starting point in shining the light on innovators in this area and techUK looks forward to working with LOTI to drive innovation in social care. In addition, the suggested Digital Social Care Showcase is a great way to showcase to London Boroughs what is possible and hear first-hand the innovations that can solve some of the most pressing problems they face.

You can click here to read the full report or here for the executive summary.

You can also check out our recently-launched Social Care Innovation Hub.