Putting People First - Developments in Technological Infrastructure

ADASS workshop

January 21st 2008

Summary

The event was described as “an exploratory workshop with a technology theme” and was introduced to focus on 3 (interconnected and over-lapping) areas:

  1. Citizen access to information, advice and advocacy
  2. Building a market to provide a wider set of options to consumers and local authorities
  3. Revising local government operating models to reduce costs and improve citizen choice

All companies present were asked to give a five minute presentation. There was little reference to card technology or the use of cards for authentication, ID or direct payments, although generally there appeared to be recognition that a solution would be required for the latter.

The companies represented were a fair mix of providers from the large CRM and case management suppliers (Northgate/SAP) to smaller niche product providers (Red Embedded videophones, Staffplan). A representative from Microsoft had flown in from America, but gave a perspective of the US approach to care provision rather than a product based sales pitch.

The afternoon session was an open floor discussions on the possibility of taking forward a group of providers to work with central and local government.

There was only one local government representative at the meeting (Cllr Dale Birch), although his reason for attending was primarily from years on involvement in the technology sector. Dale is at BracknellForest and gave a paper on the Bracknell smartcard scheme at Prepay 2008.

A number of attendees identified the tight procurement process as the main inhibitor to wider product development and better understanding of customer need. It was also repeated that the larger providers especially would have to be convinced of a forward market in they were to commit R&D resource.

The outcome, as might be expected, was inconclusive. There did seem to be some momentum for future events, but the difficulty would be both how to identify the participants and the terms upon which they might engage.

Background/Introductory Presentations

Both central and local government want to see a collaborative/partnership approach in meeting the challenge set by the “Putting People First” Agenda for:

  1. Access to the enabling environment. Accessibility to all (including the general public). Targeting prevention as well as provision.
  2. Building a market – flexible and diverse market does not exist. They want greater diversity and greater choice.
  3. New “operating models” – different forms of care managements/different roles of those involved. Personal budgets (only a small number) given to citizens from public purse to buy services that are used by people spending their own money

Across all areas, they must demonstrate and measure value.

Sam Hinton - Partnership Challenges

User – greater choice and safe simple solutions

Care Supplier – full access to market and users at low cost

LA – duty of care to ensure user safety. Connectivity

Jeff Dandridge – Shop 4 Support

This is a website being developed as an online marketplace giving a single point of reference for social care provision. They have a number of software partners (some present) who are working on developing:

-a retail model, being trialled in 5 local authorities

-a billing engine and self assessment tool

-Budgets and support plans

More information can be found on their website.

Points of Interest

Many were concerned about the different approaches being taken by different LAs. More than three speakers requested the introduction of common standards. This included the sort of interfacing that we see in the provision of card services.

There was mention of the introduction of the existing NHS number being mandated. It will be interesting to see how this relates to existing number references, and whether there would be any advantage of holding electronically on a portable card.