The Digitising Social Care fund: What you need to know

As a homecare provider, you’re already aware of the huge national push towards digital solutions. The CQC now request the majority of their initial assessments are provided through online evidence submission, third parties require secure digital access at a moments notice - and even the basics of managing a successful business is starting to require digital tools.

This is where the Digitising Social Care fund comes in! This article will cover what the NHS Digitising Social Care fund is, how it works and how your business can access the fund.

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What is the Digitising Social Care fund?

The Digitising Social Care fund is an £25 million pot set aside by the UK Government to support the digitisation of social care for the NHS. That money is going towards helping social care businesses go digital - to set up care management software and digital social care records (DSCRs) like Birdie that help them deliver outstanding care, to set up high speed connectivity and communication between care settings and to improve fall prevention technology that can reduce the impact and frequency of hospital admissions.

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How does the Digitising Social Care fund work?

Funding is available for domiciliary care businesses through their local **Integrated Care Systems (ICSs)**.

An ICSs is a group of organisations who are based in one location - for example, Kent and Medway - who have partnered with each other to improve the healthcare services in their location. These ICSs include a Local authority (i.e the local county council); an Integrated care partnership (ICP) made up of partners directly concerned with improving the healthcare services in that area; an Integrated care board (ICB) who manage the planning and budget; Place-based partnerships made up of local community and voluntary groups, residents, care professionals and representatives; and finally Provider collaboratives - groups of providers, just like your homecare business - that come together to improve care delivery and outcomes as a whole.

Domiciliary care businesses can apply to access the fund directly through their local ICS portal, on the digitalsocialcare.co.uk website. Here is a link to the main fund application hub - click through to your local ICS to find out how to apply.

If you’re successful, you’ll then work in close partnership with your local ICS to boost your domiciliary care business’ digital adoption.

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How can my business access the Digitising Social Care fund?

So, who gets the Digitising Social Care fund money? How much can your business get in the digitising social care fund, and what requirements do you need to meet to get funding?

There are a number of basic criteria your homecare business has to meet in order to be eligible for receiving funding. We’ve compiled a few of the most common ones here, but each ISC may be slightly different so make sure to check your local website for more information!

1. Your homecare business must be CQC registered
2. Your business must have met the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) 2022 Standards
3. Follow the Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) process to choose an Assured Supplier for your business
4. Prove or sign a commitment to work alongside the ISC to grow your digital records system and power up your services.

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Is Birdie an Assured Supplier for Digital Social Care?

Yes! Birdie is an Assured Supplier for the NHS and Digital Social Care. This means that Birdie software has met the strict standards required to support domiciliary care businesses manage and deliver outstanding care. Find out more here!

No matter which Assured Supplier you choose, this is an exciting opportunity to power up your domiciliary care business with digital tools. This fund is crucial to strengthening the social care network and improving the quality and safety of care through real time data integrated into the NHS. As the NHS website describes it;

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“This ensures people receive the right care, at the right time, and the right people have access to the information they need”.

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We’ll be compiling more information about the Digitising Social Care fund, how to access it and what the money will be used for as more information comes out.

For now, if you want to speak to Birdie about getting a head-start on managing your business through digital tools, then set up a free demo using the link below. We think you’ll love it - however there’s no obligation to buy, no sales pitch and no commitment.

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See if it suits you...

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