Digitising adult social care with standards – a case study
This case study highlights how the PRSB is supporting the digitisation of adult social care in England, working closely with system suppliers.
Key points to note:
- Rapid adoption of digital care records: In just three years, digital care records have been embraced by 80% of care providers, up from only 20% in 2021, thanks to a new dynamic purchasing system. These digital records enable more personalised, efficient, and integrated care, improving outcomes for both care providers and users.
- Widespread impact: We estimate that significantly more than 250k people can now create an ‘About Me’ profile using PRSB-conformant solutions – putting their needs and preferences at the heart of their care.
- A boost for system suppliers: Conformance with standards gives system suppliers a competitive edge, positioning them as preferred solutions for care providers.
Background
To support the digitisation of the sector, the Department of Health and Social Care has allocated funding to providers of care services to help them procure assured digital systems. A Dynamic Purchasing System was established requiring system suppliers to complete conformance with more than 17 capabilities in order to be listed on the assured supplier list.
The list includes digital social care records (DSCRs) solutions that have been assured by NHS England, helping providers procure the systems that have the required core functional capabilities and comply with national standards.
The PRSB is the only assurance body for two of the capabilities – About Me and Personalised Care and Support Plan Standards – and is currently the only provider of conformance services for health and care information standards in the UK.
Objectives
Moving from paper to digital care plans allows care professionals to access and share information about care users more quickly, helping to respond to their needs better. This also helps minimise errors and duplication, improving their safety and general care experience.
The goal of the Department of Health and Social Care in England is for 80% of Care Quality Commission registered care providers to have a digital social care record (DSCR) in place by March 2025.
By going through PRSB standards conformance, the system suppliers aimed to futureproof their solutions and enable widespread interoperability, resulting in high-quality digital care records that would enable the delivery of more informed, person-centred care.
The process
The PRSB has worked intensively with more than 20 digital care system suppliers on the list to assess their conformance with two of our standards, which are key to enabling personalised care and improving integration between health and social care:
The Personalised Care and Support Plan Standard enables individuals to have a single shared personalised care and support plan to which all health and care professionals can contribute. The About Me Standard includes the most important details that a person wants to share with professionals in health and social care. This information might include how best to communicate with the person, how to help them feel at ease or details about how they like to take their medication.
A conformance assessment focuses on a specific system (and version) and the organisational practices associated with delivering that system. The assessment is intended to recognise and encourage positive, incremental progress in adopting standards. The outputs of the assessment process are a validated Conformance Statement and Quality Mark.
Figure 1. PRSB standard conformance assessment process. Our assessors are on hand to provide system suppliers with guidance throughout the process.
As of October 2024, 80% of social care providers have embraced digital social care records – huge progress since 2021, when only 20% of them had a digital system in place.
The four largest care planning solutions which are on the assured suppliers list are used by more than 10,000 care providers, giving more than 250,000 people the opportunity to complete an ‘About Me profile’ and personalised care plan.
Feedback
“Our adherence to the Personalised Care and Support Plan Standard reflects our organisational ethos of placing individuals at the forefront of our care initiatives. We have not only met the requirements set by the PRSB but have also elevated the standard of care, possible by our NHS assured digital social care records. This milestone proves our dedication to enhancing the well-being of those we serve and all individuals in care.”
Fusion eCare Solutions
The benefits of having digital solutions conformant with PRSB standards
For assured digital care records suppliers | Compliance with requirements of the framework, including completing conformance with PRSB standards, helps position suppliers as the first-choice solutions for care providers. They can gain competitive advantage during procurement due to their respected accreditation. |
|---|
For care providers | Confidence that their system supplier is conformant with standards, and they will be able to share data interoperably. Reducing or eliminating unnecessary paperwork, duplications and errors. Recording and sharing consistent, accurate information, resulting in more informed decisions and safer, personalised care. Feeling more empowered to provide excellent care due to being able to share and access quality digital records. |
|---|
For service users | Not having to repeat their story to care professionals over and over again. Having one care plan instead of multiple ones and being able to share it with professionals involved in their care. Continuity of care when moving from one setting to another (for example, from care home to hospital). Being able to share information that matters to them with health and care professionals, resulting in more person-centred care. |
|---|
The wider system | More integrated care. Better interoperability between digital health and care solutions. Better population health management due to being able to record standardised, accurate data which can be used for research purposes. |
|---|
Work with us
Are you a supplier of a digital care record solution wanting to gain a competitive advantage and stay ahead the legislation mandating the conformance with certain standards?
Are you an NHS Trust, ICS or procurement framework needing help with setting criteria for procuring digital solutions?
Get in touch at partners@theprsb.org to see how we can help you achieve your goals through our Standards Partnership Scheme.
Resources
The About Me Standard
View the full standard and supporting documentation, examples and other resources.
The Personalised Care and Support Plan Standard
View the full standard and supporting documentation, examples and other resources.
Support services
Proactive support for our standards and ongoing maintenance and release management of published standards.