In this blog we discuss that In order to sustain and enhance continuity of care, it is important to examine the resistance to digital technology within the care industry.

How has the care industry changed over recent years?

When it comes to the care sector, delivering outstanding care is every company's top priority, particularly when considering homecare.

In January 2019, the NHS released a long-term strategy, outlining plans for integrating technology into health and care over the following ten years – supporting both professionals' and service users' productivity.

The COVID-19 pandemic also caused many organisations to change course, as management was compelled to come up with new solutions and act quickly to address the difficult repercussions of the global crisis. Three years on, businesses are still using and expanding on these new ways of working.

From a client perspective, the development of technology has brought about increased convenience. For instance, they can keep in touch and communicate with relatives and friends they’re physically unable to see.

However, the sector still has a way to go. According to a 2022 CQC study, 73% of 144 adult social service directors surveyed observed a rise in the frequency of breakdowns, resulting from unpaid carer arrangements – proving that the homecare sector is still understaffed.

The resistance to digital transformation

Although technology has advanced within the care sector, many employees are still averse to its modifications. For a variety of reasons, many healthcare workers have been hesitant to adopt digital technology in the workplace – these may include:

• Reluctance to adopt new working practices

• Lack of trust in their technological aptitude

• Time-consuming training on top of an already pressured workload.

When it’s tailored to your homecare business, your digital system doesn’t need to change the way your carers work. Instead, it should be straightforward, matching your current processes in a digital format, enabling simple adoption among your staff with little need for further training.

Addressing carers’ resistance to change

Homecare managers need to show the advantages of using a digital system to their carers to diminish resistance to change. This might include:

• Reducing unnecessary errors – prescription errors, missed appointments or even poorly read handwriting can have serious effects on service users’ care. A digital system ensures all test results and medical history documents are readable and accessible, ensuring the right prescription is always given. Additionally, it ‘walks’ carers through each visit to ensure nothing is overlooked or missed.

• Improving efficiency – with a paperless system, everything is kept in one place. This can help to increase organisation and smooth access to client records, boosting productivity and freeing up carer time, enabling them to concentrate on providing care over completing admin tasks. You can also document CQC visits within your digital system, helping you to see what improvements can be made ahead of your next inspection.

• Reducing costs – using a digital system can cut expenditures across the board, including those associated with paper and printing, as well as homecare personnel's travel expenses. Team rotas can be set up according to location, allowing carers to be assigned to service users according to proximity, as well as other considerations. The money you save can then be used to enhance other aspects of your business, such as the level of care you offer or the incentives you can give your staff.

• Lifting the service user experience – the ultimate impact. With a digital homecare system, carers can work more effectively and efficiently, lifting quality of care for service users. 

Alongside highlighting the benefits, care managers should also ensure team members’ training is up to date. According to a 2019 survey, the level of digital proficiency for healthcare staff is a topic of debate. Digital solutions that deliver these training records can also make it possible for homecare staff to consult them wherever they are, at any given time.

Maintaining human connections

The value of human interaction shouldn’t be underestimated, even as many care businesses continue to incorporate digital technologies into their business structures. In particular, elderly service users can frequently experience feelings of isolation and loneliness.

In the UK care industry, robots have recently been proposed as a way to combat loneliness. While tests have shown that these robots boost mental health, nothing beats a real conversation with a real person to feel more ‘human’ and connected.

We’re aware of the motivation behind carers' professional choices: their love of helping others. According to a poll of health system technology leaders, conducted in 2021, 56% of respondents intended to improve care quality, while 92% aimed to increase consumer satisfaction.

Finding the right balance between the advantages of digital technology and face-to-face contact is essential to preserving continuity of care, as digital technology in the UK's care sector continues to advance. Giving employees the freedom to perform to the best of their abilities can keep them engaged and help them to feel fulfilled while using a digital system effectively. Face-to-face interactions can improve communication, fostering trust between caregivers and service users.

Digital systems offer homecare administrators the chance to optimise their ways of working, which has a long-term positive impact on the overall homecare businesses.