Care Apps Showcase

Monday 19 October 2015

Carriageworks, Leeds

Background

The problems for social care are well known:

Increasing demand for social care assessments and services due to demographic change and the Care Act

Council budgets reducing by 15 – 30% over the next 3 years

Current processes which are inefficient, rely heavily on expensive professional input and are hampered by legacy technology

Most Directors of Adult Social Services now accept that the only way to square the circle is to involve service users, carers and local communities more in their own care & support and prevention.

Uptake of digital technology is rapidly growing - even amongst older and poorer citizens. For example, from 2012 to 2013 the proportion of people aged 65 – 74 using a tablet increased from 5 to 17% and continues to climb as prices fall. Apps like Skype are proving effective in reducing the scourge of feeling socially isolated amongst older people. With the cap on care costs coming into effect in 2016, more affluent people with care needs and their family carers will be in touch with their council.

Many small entrepreneurs are seeing opportunities for apps to help address the social care timebomb. Established companies in the social care informatics sector also have innovative solutions. Both DASS’s and Directors of Public Health have a core interest in promoting adoption. They are in a position to drive take-up by:

-directly funding innovative approaches that will reduce demand on council resources

-promoting them to clients, carers and local communities

  • e.g. to drive behaviour changes for longer healthy & independent living.

What apps are we showcasing?

“Client & carer apps” included in this event fall broadly into two types:

a)Council-managed self-service applications, e.g. citizen portals to existing case management systems, e-marketplaces, online information & advice / triage, self assessment of needs & finance.

b)Consumer apps, e.g. for:

  1. sharing tasks between informal carers
  2. promoting community sharing for people with care needs
  3. telecare
  4. special user interfaces for the elderly to easily Skype, email, etc
  5. management of care finances
  6. monitoring wellbeing.

Both types of “apps” might be combined with a consumer-oriented personal service of some kind.

Excluded: apps designed to diagnose or monitor specific health conditions or any apps that could be designated medical devices.

The showcase event will:

  1. Showcase up to 24 of the best apps for use by people needing care & support & carers
  2. Enable local authority commissioners to find appsto promote in their localities
  3. Generate informal networks & partnerships between social entrepreneurs, app developers, public sector budget-holders, care providers, user organisations and advocates
  4. Inspire cross-fertilisation of ideas across the sector
  5. Encourage the best ideas / products through audience feedback on the day and prior selection of presenters

Audience / participants

  1. ASC Assistant Directors and Heads of Service responsible for transformation / business change / prevention / carers / community engagement / informatics
  2. Public Health Directors and managers
  3. Local authority partners in NHS, voluntary sector and care providers
  4. Developers of apps and associated services
  5. Representatives of service users and carers
  6. Elected councillors

We are planning on over 200 delegates. Attendance will be free of charge to the public sector.

Draft Agenda

9:30 / Registration, exhibition & refreshments
10:00 / “A personal view on the role of a DASS and care staff in promoting apps for care”
  • Terry Dafter, Chair of ADASS Informatics Network and Director of Adult Social Services, Stockport Council

10:15 / Inspirational talk on role of technology in public sector (title tbc)
  • Mark Thompson,Senior Lecturer in Information Systems, Cambridge University Judge Business School

10:30 / “Opportunities for carers in using apps” (title tbc)
  • Dame Phillipa Russell, Emeritus Chair, Parliamentary Standing Commission on Carers

10:45 / Pop-up pitches
  • Six of the best pre-selected apps developers
  • 5 mins each with opportunity to hear more after coffee break

11:20 – 11:40 / Refreshments, exhibition, networking
11:40 / Presenter 1 – Room A / Presenter 2 – Room B / Presenter 3 – Room C
Presenter 4 – Room D / Presenter 5 – Room E / Presenter 6 – Room F
12:30 – 13:30 / Lunch, exhibition, networking
13:30 / “A Council Leader’s view on Care Apps”
  • Jason Kitcat, former Leader of Brighton & Hove Council

13:45 / A service user view
  • Martin Yates & Isaac Samuels, National Co-production Advisory Group, Think Local Act Personal (TLAP)

14:00 / Pop-up pitches
  • Five of the best pre-selected apps developers
  • 5 mins each with opportunity to hear more after coffee break

14:30 / “Endorsement policy for H&SC apps – Room F
Simon Dixon, Digital Services Manager, NHS England / Presenter 7 – Room A / Presenter 8 – Room B
Presenter 9
– Room C / Presenter 10
– Room D / Presenter 11
  • – Room E

15:20 / Tea break & exhibition
15:45 / Panel comments andaudience discussion
“What is the role of local authorities in promoting Care Apps?”
Chair: David Brindle, Public Services Editor, The Guardian
  • ADASS: Terry Dafter
  • Carer representative: Dame Philippa Russell
  • Councillor rep: Jason Kitcat
  • Service user: Martin Yates / Isaac Samuels
  • techUK: Richard Pantlin

16:30 / Close