By Kelly Hudson, CEO, Lilli
In the March 24th episode of BBC Panorama, the Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting spoke of his plans to divert more NHS money into adult social care.
Recognising that investing in care is essential for a healthy health system, he confirmed he would not wait for the upcoming Casey Commission report in 2028 to inject the much-needed funds.
This news was met with real optimism across the sector – if somewhat cautious.
For too long social care has been ignored by governments, with delays to reform having real human and economic consequences.
With details about spending on adult social care to be confirmed in the 10-year NHS plan, which is due to be published later this year, it’s a step in the right direction to see that this Labour government has acknowledged the equal urgency around care.
Today, it’s well evidenced that you cannot meaningfully reform the NHS unless you reform social care.
If you have a properly functioning adult social care system, people will get out of hospital quicker, and it will prevent many from being admitted in the first place, with a knock-on impact on emergency services.
It causes a whole system impact.
As SCIE’s Chief Executive Kathryn Smith, put it: “Social care has long been an untapped resource in delivering prevention, reducing pressures on the NHS, and supporting people to live well in their communities.”
Yet as demand for care continues to rise, amidst an ageing population and more working aged adults needing support, the local government system’s finances are in turmoil and people are not getting the care they need quickly enough.
In 2024, approximately 81 per cent of councils were expected to overspend their adult social care budgets, so it is likely they will require more investment than what will be on the table.
The Health Foundation has estimated an additional £8.3 billion will be required by 2032/33 just for adult social care to keep up with growing demand.
Therefore, while more investment is key, it must come alongside innovation and reform if it is to fill the black hole and bring much needed capacity and resource into the sector.
The potential of technology in the delivery of social care is enormous – and it can have a double dividend for the NHS too.
For instance, home monitoring technology can enable people with social care needs to remain safely and independently in their own homes for longer, enable carers to speed up assessments, spot signs of health decline early to prevent hospital admissions and accelerate discharge back to their own homes.
It supports people to have a better quality of life, while freeing up essential costs and resources: a win-win for both systems.
At Lilli, we have collected significant data and case studies on the whole system impact of monitoring technology across the councils, ICBs and individuals we work with.
In Nottingham, for instance, the solution supported people to get out of hospital 16 days quicker and 40 per cent were able to go home – back to their communities – rather than to a more expensive residential care setting.
Meanwhile, in Medway, the technology has helped to generate over £1.5 million in essential cost savings for the council by right-sizing care packages based on need.
In Medway and across the country, it is helping carers to proactively detect health decline for people with several types of health conditions including mobility, cognitive, and mental health disorders, to enable earlier interventions and better outcomes.
Family members see the benefit for their loved ones too, with one telling The Independent: “I have so much information as to what’s going on, which really helps me… it gives me peace of mind knowing she’s OK.”
In the long term, economic analysis predicts that cost-effective monitoring technology could save around £4bn for councils and the NHS over the next 10 years, while freeing up over 2.3 million bed days for the NHS – creating capacity and resource to help more patients get off waiting lists and to receive the care they need.
As costs continue to rise alongside demand, it is clear we must urgently move beyond short-term funding injections that barely scratch the surface and enable issues to compound.
Instead, it is time to move towards a proactive and digitally-enabled system that creates capacity and efficiencies, and supports people to live more independently. Implementing technology like home monitoring at pace and at scale will, and is, making a significant impact.
The forthcoming 10-year NHS plan presents a major opportunity to transform service delivery and it is reassuring to see the Department of Health and Social Care recognising care within this plan, and the role technology will have in supporting the Government’s 3 Health Mission strategic shifts.
By taking a more integrated approach and investing in proven solutions, we can create a system that works for the people who need it, and deliver a double dividend for health and care.
