More than £1 million is up for grabs for digital social care projects thanks to funding from NHS Digital.
The Social Care Digital Innovation Programme (SCDIP) aims to support local authorities using digital technology to design and implement social care.
Ten authorities will receive up to £30,000 to design a digital solution to address specific issues within their service.
Eight will receive up to a further £90,000 over two years to support the implementation of the project.
Previous projects funded have included exoskeleton devices for patients to help carers on the Isle of Wight and the introduction of Amazon Alexa into people’s homes in Hampshire to combat isolation and encourage independent living.
Pam Garraway, senior responsible officer for social care at NHS Digital said: “Every year we see some truly innovative projects that take a creative digital approach to solving the challenges that local authorities face in social care.
“We are now looking forward to seeing the exciting proposals that will come forward in response to this round of funding.”
Local authorities bidding for the funding should focus on:
- Efficiency and strengths-based approaches
- Managing marketing and commission
- Sustainable and integrated social care and health systems
You can find out more information including how to apply on the SCDIP website.
4 February 2019 @ 20:54
Window dressing. My local authorities central funding has been reduced by 50% since 2010 – raising council fax has recouped about 2% of the shortfall.
£30k – seriously?! How much money and effort will be wasted bidding unsuccessfully for ten lots of £30k? How much was wasted bidding for Hunt’s tech fund against money spent instead on covering up underfunding?
This isn’t a snowflake or even a left wing opinion – even the FT has flagged up this shortfall. https://www.ft.com/content/9c6b5284-6000-11e7-91a7-502f7ee26895
5 February 2019 @ 12:57
By coincidence, it has just been announced that my local council’s funding is to be cut by £22m in 2019/20. Social Care takes up the majority of this funding – even if the whole £1m was to be given to them they’d still be £21m short!
4 February 2019 @ 16:47
Hi ,
It seems a good idea , but it possibly will be spent on apps that already exists and parallel work . This money can be used directly for the children in the care of the local authorities , as many of them need to have tablet , smart phone or be in touch with others , there is not any standard in this area that force socials services act for this matter , social workers lecturing these group of children , they pay too much to foster carer without budgeting for spending that money on child , this budget can be offered from digital health uk to social care just for this purpose , it will be better use of the money , as this requires them to act .It can be conditional as the child who receives become member of one youth online network and get in touch with others through that specific network , that network can have some coaching advices for the children or help them find international friends -pen friend through that . Thank you