 Welcome!
Welcome to the Digital Social Care team’s first newsletter! We are excited to connect with service providers across Scotland and share insights, resources, and upcoming events to support digital transformation in social care.
The future of digital in social care
Technology in social care should not be about replacing human interaction but enhancing and supporting it. The sector is evolving, and digital tools will play an increasingly important role in improving outcomes for people. The following highlight some key areas where technology can enhance social care practice.
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Empowering Individuals: Digital tools can give people greater control over their own care, from self-management apps to assistive technologies that promote independence.
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Enhancing Care Delivery: Data-driven decision-making, real-time monitoring, and digital care records can support staff in providing person-centred care more efficiently.
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Reducing Workload and Increasing Time for Care: Automating administrative tasks allows staff to focus more on the people they support rather than being bogged down by paperwork.
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Bridging Gaps in Accessibility: Digital inclusion strategies will help ensure that technology benefits everyone, particularly those in rural or underserved areas.
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Supporting Early Learning and Childcare: Digital tools can enhance early years education by providing interactive learning experiences, supporting staff with digital record-keeping, and improving communication between childcare providers and families.
Webinars
This year we have held two webinars:
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Digital transformation in social care held on 21 January 2025 and
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AI in social care held on 1 May 2025.
If you missed the live sessions, you can find the recordings, slides and full list of resources on our Hub page.
These webinars provide a platform for industry experts to share valuable insights, best practices, and real-world applications of digital solutions in social care. They offer opportunities for service providers to learn about emerging technologies, ask questions, and collaborate with peers to enhance their digital capability.
Stay tuned for more details and registration information for our next webinar.
Resource spotlight
Turas – Digital Assessment Tool: Turas provides an interactive way to explore the Digital and Data Capability Framework, helping you assess your current level of digital capability. This tool is designed to support continuous improvement in digital skills and knowledge.
Key features of the Turas Digital Assessment Tool include:
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self-assessment surveys – evaluate your current digital and data capabilities
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personalised recommendations – receive tailored advice on areas for improvement and growth
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learning resources – access training materials, case studies, and best practices
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progress tracking – monitor your development over time and set goals for improvement.
This tool is an essential resource for individuals and organisations looking to enhance their digital literacy and competency in the social care sector.
Visit the Turas website for further information.
PainChek
Phase 2 of our pilot project is now complete. We have been disseminating findings and contributing the Napier University's evaluation work. Usage figures are very encouraging, as are outcomes when the technology is used well. Many services lacked the digital foundations, leadership and capacity to engage with the project. However, we worked with services that were extremely committed and provided excellent data to support the project.
In summary:
- 21 care services in Scotland across phases 1 and 2
- No documented pain assessments at baseline
- 9693 assessments using PainChek, 2200 showing pain (22.7%)
- 224 different assessing users.
We also collated the following quality of life measures from four of the five services that completed the full nine month data collection period:
- 40% reduction falls
- 47% increased BMI
- 27% reduced dependency score.
For more information on digital social care, including valuable resources, visit the Care Inspectorate’s digital social care Hub page. Stay informed about upcoming events and the latest news by signing up for our mailing list.
We look forward to engaging with you and supporting your digital journey in social care! If you have any feedback or topics you’d like us to cover in future newsletters and webinars, please get in touch.
The Digital Social Care Team
Find out more about our work at www.careinspectorate.com
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