Adult Social Care Newsletter | Volume 50

Plus: 💻 Agilisys & Sefton Council double down on GenAI and cloud

Author

Rafe Houston
May 15, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

Adult Social Care

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THIS WEEK’S RADAR🎯

  • Agilisys renews Sefton Council partnership, focusing on cloud-first, zero trust, and GenAI innovation.

  • £21bn needed to digitise NHS and social care, with calls for sustained funding beyond tech spend.

  • Hammersmith & Fulham rated 'Requires Improvement', citing delays and gaps in adult social care.

  • New migration rules risk worsening the care workforce crisis, warns sector.

  • Essex faces potential council tax hike due to rising adult social care demand and restructuring.

Agilisys are thrilled to be continuing their partnership with Sefton Council with a renewed and expanded ICT Managed Services partnership! ​

Over nearly a decade, Agilisys has worked with Sefton Council has matured in step with their ambitions - from core IT delivery to a forward-looking approach centred on data, automation, and cloud-enabled transformation.​

The next chapter of the Agilisys and Sefton partnership will focus on:​

  • ✅ Supporting Sefton’s Cloud First strategy​

  • ✅ Modernising infrastructure with Zero Trust principles​

  • ✅ Exploring the power of GenAI, automation, and data to transform services​

Massive congratulations to the Agilisys and Sefton Council team for the great work ​

HEALTHCARE MODERNISATION

Digitising NHS and adult social care will require an estimated £21bn over five years, with £14.75bn designated for England, covering areas such as electronic patient records, cloud infrastructure, cyber security, and essential staff training. The Health Foundation stresses that funding must support ongoing implementation rather than just technology purchases, to ensure genuine improvement in care quality, efficiency, and staff experience. Clarity on full costs and sustained revenue investment are necessary to achieve digital healthcare transformation and meet future demand.

SOCIAL CARE OVERSIGHT

CQC’s inspection found the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham requires improvement in adult social care delivery, citing delays in assessments, inadequate support for unpaid carers, and gaps in addressing inequalities for diverse populations. Notable initiatives, such as non-means-tested care and an independent living centre, exist but are undermined by persistent shortcomings. Immediate action is required to address identified risks and ensure equitable, accessible services.

PUBLIC SERVICES POLICY

Restricting migration, as outlined in the government's latest white paper, threatens to worsen the persistent workforce crisis in adult social care, which has relied on international staff to fill chronic shortages. Without significant new funding to support higher wages and compensate for rising employment costs, service decline is likely. Prompt, targeted government intervention is required to prevent further deterioration and address mounting public service pressures.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE

Council tax in Essex is likely to increase due to mounting pressures from the rising costs of adult social care, especially following a reported 13 per cent annual surge in demand for council-funded long-term support. The planned dissolution of Essex County Council and the establishment of smaller unitary councils may exacerbate these financial challenges, placing a heavier burden on local taxpayers. This issue is particularly acute in areas with higher concentrations of older residents.