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Collect and connect – share to strengthen data analytics in social care

Expert panel confirms FCC research on use of data analytics in social care

6th September 2021 about a 4 minute read
“We want to put social care analytics on an equal footing with its counterpart in the NHS while recognising that the structure is different, and so needs to have its own system and way of working. This is both the challenge and opportunity going forward.” Dr Josefine Magnusson, FCC’s senior research officer and Community of Practice lead

Examples of how data analytics is improving the provision of social care across sectors were shared at a Community of Practice for Social Care Analytics’ recent online event, Strengths and Opportunities: Where next for social care analytics?

A panel of experts shared their successes and challenges and discussed the findings of the community’s recent research into the current state of social care analytics and how they might influence policy makers.

Dr Josefine Magnusson, FCC’s senior research officer and Community lead who chaired the event, gave a summary of her SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis.

She said: “The idea is to share across organisations so we can learn from each other and share connections.”

Strengths included:

  • Acknowledgement (e.g. in policy) of importance and inevitability of data use in social care.
  • Connections across systems of parties engaged and interested in this work
  • Plenty of data already being collected.

Opportunities included:

  • Health & Care White Paper “Integration and Innovation” – new power to mandate data
  • National Data Strategy for Health and Social Care
  • New ways of collecting and analysing data e.g. Machine learning and AI.

Weaknesses included:

  • Data is patchy and inconsistent
  • Digital immaturity in organisations tasked with collecting data
  • Mix of provision across the sector: “local government, private and not for profit.”

Threats included:

  • Who benefits: Does data empower people in receipt of care, or the system that provides it?
  • Burden of data collection and sharing on workforce
  • Bias in information, “unwilling ‘hard to reach’ groups”.

The panellists were Ellen Coughlan, manager of The Health Foundation’s Strengthening Social Care Analytics programme which supports the Community of Practice.  She reiterated the importance of recent policy developments such as the publication of the Draft Strategy for Health and Social Care and said the Health Foundation is committed to continue work in this space, with a particular focus on how these initiatives can be implemented in practice.

Arnie King, Technical and Social Researcher with the social care provider, Manor Community, Bristol, and an award holder of the Strengthening Social Care Analytics programme welcomed the increasing collaboration taking place between local authorities, providers from all sectors, and social enterprises for sharing technical expertise and know-how:

“The impetus and opportunity that is there is huge, so if you can get the support for skills and capacity of some of the smaller providers that are not so technically developed so far, not only do these collaborations become possible but it becomes a reason for starting to put them into place.”

Victoria Scott, data analyst in adult social care, Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, who has developed data dashboards for integrated health and care services said it was “a unique partnership” with data being shared between local authorities and health and social care.

“We manage our own health and social care budget as part of devolution, which is very relevant at the moment to ICSs.”

Despite some challenges in designing and implementing the interactive systemit had been successful, with more than 5,000 users. Governance remained an issue, and great care had to be given to assure users about the safety and security of their data.

Laura Ladd, business analyst at AutonoMe, a social enterprise developing services to support vulnerable people including those with learning disabilities, mental health needs, and autistic people into work and to live independently is part of the Digital Accelerator programme, said it was proving a great success.

Ladd explained the system can be helpful for anyone needing extra time and support to learn skills related to daily living, relationships, safety and employability. The system comprises of an app, a development co-ordinator and a data dashboard providing real time data.

She said the system now needed to build on its success and develop an additional system to support people stay in work.

Discussing “What more needs to be done?” it was agreed:

  • A cultural change is needed
  • Social care needs improved status, and to be seen as important in its own right, not as an “add on” to health care.
  • People need to get out of their work silos and share their data collection, analytics and outcomes across sectors.

Dr Magnusson summed up: “We want to put social care analytics on an equal footing with its counterpart in the NHS while recognising that the structure is different, and so needs to have its own system and way of working. This is both the challenge and opportunity going forward.”

If you know of a project or piece of work that could be shared, let CPSC know at: socialcaredata@futurecarecapital.org.uk