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Care home worker at computer - Hertfordshire Independent Living Service ;

Care homes for older people in south-east Scotland are largely run using paper-based management systems

Healthier working lives for the care workforce insights
Healthier Working Lives project team

01 May 2022

The Digital and Data Readiness of Care Homes for Older People in South East Scotland report looks at the issues, led by Edinburgh Napier researchers working in partnership with the University of Edinburgh’s Advanced Care Research Centre (ACRC), looks at whether the care sector is ready for a future in which digital innovation will be key to post-pandemic recovery and improved efficiency in health and social care.

A new study, led by Edinburgh Napier researchers in partnership with the University of Edinburgh’s Advanced Care Research Centre (ACRC), has revealed:

  • Only 35% of care homes use an electronic care management system
  • Only 43% of care homes use an electronic system or software to manage medication, a new study into the sector’s digital readiness has revealed
  • Only 42% of care homes describe their internet connection as “good” with fast loading of content and no interruptions.
COVID-19 brutally exposed how invisible care home residents are in data, and supporting the care home sector to develop their digital capacity is an important step in meeting this aim, which will, in turn, lead to improvements for care home residents.”– Professor Bruce Guthrie, Director of the Advanced Care Research Centre

The findings raise question marks about whether care homes are ready for a future in which digital innovation will be key to post-pandemic recovery and improved efficiency in health and social care.

However, the good news is that more than 69% of care homes which are currently paper-based did plan to introduce electronic care management systems in the next 12 months, but these were overwhelming privately rather than local authority-owned.

Graph from Digital and Data Readiness of Care Homes for Older People in South East Scotland report

Digital and Data Readiness of Care Homes for Older People in South East Scotland report.

Read the full study in the Digital and Data Readiness of Care Homes for Older People in South East Scotland report.

Banner image credit: Centre for Ageing Better

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