The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has begun to sound out technology suppliers for input into developing new standards for the use of tech in social care.
It has published a market notice inviting relevant suppliers to participate in roundtable discussions for further engagement.
This follows the announcement at the beginning of the year of an investment in technology as part of the addition of £86 million to the Disabled Facilities Grant for this and the next financial year, aimed at helping more people to live independently and reduce the number of hospitalisations.
It will come with the setting of new national standards and guidance on technology in care, intended to help providers know which technologies are fit for purpose, secure and able to connect with wider NHS and social care systems in the future.
The notice says that supplier responses will help to shape policy in driving the adoption of care technology that supports people in living independent lives.
It adds that DHSC will also be engaging care providers, people who draw on care, family/unpaid carers and other stakeholders via other engagement routes.
Promoting adoption
“Your insights will play a vital role in developing policies that promote the adoption of high quality care technology, ensuring greater independence and improved quality of life for individuals,” it says.
“We encourage diverse perspectives to help create robust, inclusive, and effective standards.”
It also restates the role of technology in supporting the Government's three strategic shifts for healthcare: from hospital to community based care; from treatment to prevention; and from analogue to digital.
