Calling all Adult Social Care Professionals in London! ​

Join us for an exclusive breakfast roundtable exploring the role of Generative AI in Adult Social Care.​

This event, hosted by Agilisys Transform, will bring together Adult Social Care leaders to discuss how AI can enhance social care services, reduce administrative pressures, and improve outcomes for residents.​

As Generative AI gains traction across the public sector, this session will provide a practical upskilling opportunity and a space to discuss the real-world implications of AI in social care. We will also explore how this aligns with the Prime Minister’s AI Action Plan and what it means for local authorities.​

What to Expect:​

• ✅ A high-level briefing on Generative AI in Adult Social Care​

• ✅ Roundtable discussion with local authority leaders and AI experts​

• ✅ Insights from industry thought leaders on the future of AI in social care​

• ✅ A hands-on demonstration of AI’s potential to support social care teams with an opportunity to try our leading QuickAction tool​

• ✅ Networking opportunity over breakfast​

This event is designed to foster discussion, knowledge sharing, and collaboration among social care leaders navigating the evolving AI landscape.​

Spaces are limited, so register now to secure your place!​

📍 Venue: Scale Space, 58 Wood Lane, London, United Kingdom, W12 7RZ​

📅 Date: 20th March​

⏰ Time: 8:30 – 11:00 AM​​

HEALTHCARE FUNDING

Increased Funding to Care Homes Targets Healthcare System Challenges

The government's move to boost funding for care homes by 7.7% signifies a pivotal shift in addressing the operational pressures within the sector. By raising the NHS-funded care rate from £235.88 to £254.06, and the higher rate from £324.50 to £349.50, this adjustment plays a crucial role in fortifying care homes' capacities. This financial uplift is essential in mitigating hospital bottlenecks by optimising patient transitions to community care settings, aligning with broader initiatives focused on creating a sustainable adult social care system. The allocation of £3.7 billion to local authorities alongside £172 million for the Disabled Facilities Grant underscores a commitment to enhancing community-based care frameworks.

However, sustainability remains fragile amid rising economic pressures and narrowing pay disparities between nurses and minimum wage roles. Professor Martin Green of Care England underscores the imperative for Integrated Care Boards to implement parallel funding increases to avert further strain on hospital discharge efficiencies. This funding boost should catalyse further strategic reforms, stressing the need for a cohesive approach that extends beyond one-time financial corrections. Insights from this development are critical for steering policy adjustments and ensuring robust sector resilience.

HEALTHCARE CHALLENGES

Hospital Operations on Hold Due to Critical Bed Shortage

NHS Western Isles faces significant challenges as the Western Isles Hospital struggles with a shortage of bed space, leading to postponed operations. This problem stems from the delayed discharge of patients due to a lack of available staff for home care packages and a dearth of care home placements. Chief Executive Gordon Jamieson highlights that the region currently suffers from the highest level of delayed discharge per capita in Scotland. His comments underscore the pressing need for improved recruitment strategies to bolster the workforce, particularly in social care, amid this ongoing crisis.

CARE INDUSTRY RECRUITMENT

Sponsorship Visas Helping Care Industry Recruitment

The crisis in recruitment across the UK's care industry has found a temporary balm in sponsorship visas, vital in filling the void left by Brexit's migration restrictions. Luxurycare, operating in Poole and Bournemouth, navigates this complexity by employing many staff from non-European countries, including India, Sri Lanka, and Nigeria. Relying heavily on a largely non-English workforce, the organisation exemplifies a broader trend in which international workers become an essential component of the care sector, filling crucial roles traditionally occupied by EU nationals.

Despite the government's commitment to fostering homegrown talent within the NHS, the immediate availability of international workers underscores ongoing recruitment challenges. As articulated by Samantha Hoskins of Luxurycare, the decline of EU applications has forced care homes to adapt swiftly. While sponsorship visas offer an expedient solution, they do not address the underlying dependency on international talent. The Department of Health and Social Care reiterates the dual strategy of training domestic professionals, yet the reliance on foreign expertise remains pronounced, hinting at deeper systemic issues needing urgent resolution.

HEALTHCARE INNOVATION

AI's Impact on Healthcare's Future A New Era for EHRs

The integration of AI into electronic health records (EHR) and practice management systems is transforming traditional healthcare IT functionalities into dynamic platforms that optimise clinical operations and decision-making processes. NextGen Healthcare at HIMSS25 highlights the concept of "agentification" in health IT, which emphasizes the infusion of AI to redefine clinical workflows. By enhancing these systems, AI aims to eliminate experiential friction, ensuring that practitioners can focus more on patient care rather than administrative burdens. This shift signifies the move from static data collection to an adaptive, clinician-oriented approach that seamlessly merges human and digital workloads.

AI-driven innovations in healthcare are not mere extensions of complexity; they promise tangible operational enhancements and increased flexibility within clinical settings. With a focus on strategic integration, AI in health systems is expected to yield significant returns on investment by providing intuitive, automated support across various healthcare tasks. NextGen urges a re-evaluation of legacy processes, underscoring that AI agentification has the potential to address the inherent limitations of conventional health IT solutions, ultimately enhancing healthcare delivery. Comprehensive planning and proactive collaboration with both patients and providers remain crucial for effective implementation.

DIGITAL INCLUSION INITIATIVES

UK Digital Inclusion Plan Urgent to Close Service Access Gaps

The UK government's Digital Inclusion Action Plan, "First Steps," highlights the significance of bridging the digital divide, especially for the most vulnerable groups like older adults, individuals with disabilities, and low-income households. This initiative stresses the importance of digital access in connecting people and facilitating access to essential services, such as remote monitoring and assistive technologies, which ideally should not remain out of reach for those reliant on social care. The urgent need for digital inclusion grows as society shifts rapidly towards digitalisation, risking the further alienation of these groups.

Five key initiatives are outlined to promote digital inclusion over the next year. These include launching a Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund, enhancing digital skills frameworks, and collaborating with the Digital Poverty Alliance to repurpose government laptops. Making digital government services more accessible and gathering evidence through stakeholder consultation are also critical components. The plan prioritises specific groups, ensuring they gain the required digital competencies to participate fully in an increasingly digital world and inviting feedback to refine future efforts. This urgent call for a collective response highlights the critical nature of fostering digital equity.

YOUR FEEDBACK MATTERS 🗳️