The Digital Social Care Programmes and Scottish Care partner, Nicola Cooper, provides a vital link into the Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) within Scottish Care.
Their current focus is on:
Thought Leadership
Key Objectives:
Scottish Care is a respected Thought Leader in human rights based social care. The Technology and Digital Innovation portfolio draws on an experienced wider team and membership, amplifying sectoral insight and opinion, and evolving a knowledge base in digital, data and technology in social care.
Planned activities/outputs:
- AI and Robotics: Explore the role and potential applications for an AI and robotics enabled 'technology workforce' in social care, and the consequences for human rights based relational care.
- Sector Support: Support for the independent social care sector to articulate and prioritise needs around digital, data and technology, demonstrating alignment with the wider health and social care ecosystem.
- Digital and Data Capability: Support for workforce competence, and for organisations to build a talent pipeline and prepare for future roles e.g. Care Connector, Care Navigator, Care Co-pilot.
- Ethical Design: Demonstrate and promote capability in ethical and inclusive design practice, widening use of participatory design and Scottish Approach to Service Design (SAtSD).
- Data Innovation: Demonstrate and foster understanding an use of appropriate evaluation frameworks like Theory of Change, Social Value, Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and Technology, People, Organisations and Macroenvironment (TPOM).
- Cross-sector initiatives: Support initiatives demonstrating the potential in systems and data interoperability and technology-enabled service redesign.
- Impact Evidence: Demonstrate the impact of activities and partnerships using Matter of Focus Theory of Change and HACT Social Value Model.
Future Workforce
Key Objectives:
Continue to test and learn from the implementation of Care Technologist/Connector/Navigator roles in Scotland and beyond. Seek opportunities to showcase the impacts made with the Care Technologist work to date.
Planned activities/outputs:
- Embedding Care Technologist Role: Support the integration of the Care Technologist role and/or approach within social care in Scotland.
- Learning System/Network Establishment: Create a learning system/knowledge network for Care Technologists and social care professionals in similar roles with different job titles.
- Resource Development: Develop resources to strengthen and support the Care Technologist role and its spread.
Latest Update:
- HACT Evaluation Social Value Report: Published the report titled ‘Making the case for the Care Technologist role and measuring the impact of improved digital care’. HACT Report.
- TECH Housing, Care Technologist Programme: Support with Social Tariff landscape reviews.
- Ethical Commissioning and procurement: Exploration of this as an enabler of the spread of the Care Tech role and model across Scotland.
- Ecosystem mapping: Exploration of models developed by Cofink and the possibilities for Care Tech future state modelling.
- Future Skills, The Glasgow School of Art: Engaged in discussions on how we might collaborate in support of the Care Tech approach and learning.
Scottish Care Data Programme
Key Objectives:
Contribute to the understanding of the complexity of data in the social care and health context. Based on practice-based examples, evidence, and analysis, contribute to national programmes of work, presenting solution-focused recommendations. Data issues such as access, fragmentation, and duplication are significant barriers to digital transformation within social care and health.
Planned activities/outputs:
- Engagement and Co-design: Collaborate with independent sector providers to increase awareness of existing data and visualize current and future state data sharing needs through data dialogues and co-design workshops.
- Data Mapping and Analysis: Conduct interviews, surveys, and co-design activities with stakeholders to map and analyse sector data.
- Recommendations for Data Management: Work collaboratively to recommend strategies for better managing data returns and reducing data collection variance by understanding current communication practices through interviews and focus groups.
- Building Confidence in Data Use: Enhance the sector’s ability to gather, use, and share data safely and sustainably by engaging with SSSC and other partners.
Latest Update:
Key engagements and conversations have been taking place as these programmes of work develop in order to identify priority areas such as; Interoperability of data, access and visibility of relevant data as well as capability. Planning sessions will take place over Autumn/Winter 2024 to refine these further.
Care Technologist Programme
More in-depth information on the Care Technologist Role and work to date, alongside evaluation reports, can be found here: Care Technologist Project.