Harnessing the power of digital technology for improving social care provision

In a rapidly changing care sector, the challenge is to keep staff trained and up to date with all the latest developments. The explosion in the number of laptops, smartphones and tablets means that employers are now more readily able to offer their employees flexible ways of acquiring new skills and knowledge that will help them give better care.

Partner organisations Skills for Care and Social Care institute for Excellence have been working with the Department of Health, the National Skills Academy for Social Care and the College of Social Work to create a national digital working, learning and information strategy.

The purpose of the strategy will be to support employers, learning providers and other partners to consider how to improve workforce competence and knowledge using new technology.

Aged Care Channel (ACC) is one of the companies leading the change.

The challenge for all sector organisations looking to harness the power of digital technology is to balance the flexibility of portable devices against making sure training really does lead to high quality skills and knowledge in a constantly changing sector.