18th October 2016
Connected care – personalised,
coordinated and closer to home –
the future?
Bridget Warr CBE, Chief Executive, UKHCA
Introducing UKHCA
UKHCA is
United Kingdom Homecare Association Ltd (UKHCA) is the professional
association of home care providers from the independent, voluntary, notfor-profit and statutory sectors.
UKHCA promotes high standards of care and provides representation with
national and regional policy-makers and regulators.
The Association represents over two-thousand members across the United
Kingdom, in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Our Vision and Mission
UKHCA’s Vision
Our vision is of a United Kingdom where a choice of high quality,
sustainable home-based care is available to everyone who would benefit.
UKHCA’s Mission
As a member-led professional association, our mission is to promote high
quality, sustainable care services so that people can continue to live at
home and in their local community.
What is homecare?
•
Support to live as full and independent a life as possible

Personal care

Other assistance
• Can be by the hour or live-in
• Paid for by the state or privately
• Delivered by regulated service, self-employed or Personal Assistant
Where are we now?
• c. 1 million people a year receive homecare
• Over 70% is funded by the state
• Some 1,200 people are delayed in hospital awaiting community
support
We know
• People want to be at home until they die
• People recover from illness/injury better at home
• Government, NHS and LA policy recognises this
• Care at home is usually cheaper
What’s the problem?
• Funding
• Recruitment and retention of staff
• Complex business models
• Growing demographic need
• Increased complexity of support needs
• Homecare providers exiting the market
• Lack of effective collaboration
• Brexit?
What is needed?
• Creative solutions
• That complement and enhance (not replace) personal contact.
• Things that are simple to use
• Things that are joined/joinable up
• Affordable and reliable
An introduction to people using homecare
• Over 70 (or younger with learning or physical disabilities)
• May be living with dementia
• Likely to have several long term health conditions
• May live alone
• Not very mobile or dextrous; unsteady
• Likely to be lonely
• May have family/friends living at a distance
An introduction to people delivering homecare
• Predominantly women
• Most work part-time
• No formal qualifications required
• Emotional intelligence
• Two-thirds aged 25 - 54
• On the move
• Often rushed
• High turnover
• Mostly low-paid
• CARING
Where might technology help?
Helping the individual
• Making information accessible
• Virtual healthcare
• Helping informed choice
• Monitoring and alarms
• Alerting carers
• Facilitating communication with friends and family
• Daily living activity support
• Maintaining independence and dignity
Cont..
Helping the business
• Information sharing
• Enhancing collaboration and joined up services
• Scheduling and invoicing
• Automation and tracking
• Record forming and keeping
• Submitting bids
• Training and recording development
• Promotion
• Reporting and evidence of compliance/quality
So our challenge is..
Solutions must work for the individual
• They should be readily understandable to non-techies
• They should work together
• They should enhance the person's life, independence, dignity
Questions for us all
• What more can technology do to help?
• How should we all work together to make it happen?
• How can affordable and understandable technology be developed?
• What support will people need?
• How do we plan to make this happen?
How to contact me
[email protected]
[email protected]