Digital record systems: achieving good outcomes for people using adult social care services

For people using services:

• It’s easier for people to access their own records.
• People will be able to spend more time with staff and engage in meaningful interactions with them.
• When people’s needs change, services will be able to respond quickly and share information with partners in their care, making care safer.
• Risks such as medication errors, dehydration or missed care visits will be minimised.

For providers and staff:

• Recording information in real time will allow people in different locations to access and update it wherever they are.
• Staff will be able to do their job more effectively and efficiently.
• Digital systems will support effective quality monitoring of the service, enabling services to share and compare data to improve people’s care.
• Storing information digitally is easier and needs less physical space.
• People’s information will be handled more securely through automatic back-up of data, the cyber security of cloud-based services, and by using multi-factor authentication.

For the wider health and social care system:

• People’s information can be used across the local health and care system to make sure their care is joined up and to support the needs of the local population.
• There will be better use of resources across the local health and care system, which can help to support other important health and care functions, such as service management, planning and research.