Care providers are putting vulnerable people at risk by relying on computer systems that do not share information, a report has warned. The authors of the Future is Connected report found that fragmented records delay decisions and leave staff struggling to spot problems.
The paper, by global care technology company Evaran, says care plans, staffing, incidents and compliance data are often held on separate platforms. This means care workers may have to re-enter information, reconcile conflicting reports or use manual workarounds to build a complete picture of an individual’s needs.
The warning comes as the UK’s social care system faces mounting pressure. There were 1.75 million people aged 85 and over in the UK in mid-2024, or 2.5% of the population. By 2049, that figure is projected to reach 3.6 million, or 4.9%.
Meanwhile, 81% of English councils were forecast to overspend adult social care budgets in 2024-25.
The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services says more than £1 billion is required to maintain provision, while the Health Foundation has projected a funding gap of £8.3 billion by 2032-33 if spending fails to match demand.
Tyron Ball, Chief Executive of Evaran, said: “The danger is not simply that disconnected systems waste time. It is that vital information can arrive late, appear differently in two places or fail to reach the person making a decision. In care, those gaps can quickly become safety risks.”
The report urges providers to create a single care-recipient record, capable of following a person between home care, retirement living and residential care. It argues that clinical information should be viewed alongside staffing levels, incident trends and quality data, allowing managers to identify risks earlier. Ball said: “Care is increasingly delivered by several teams across several settings, yet the information supporting it is still too often trapped in separate systems. Connecting that information gives frontline staff more time for people and gives leaders a clearer view of risk.
“We need to be clear, technology cannot replace human care but without stronger and more connected systems the needs of people are likely to overwhelm us.”
evaran.com/white-paper-the-futureof-care-is-connected