Guidance on buying a digital social care record

Digital social care records are reshaping the social care sector, bringing faster and simplified processes, enhanced care quality, and more time for meaningful interactions. If you're considering taking your service digital, it's important to lay a solid foundation before making the switch. Here’s some guidance on buying a digital social care record:  

Step 1: Understand your needs

Before diving in, evaluate what having a digital social care record means for your care service:

• Identify the benefits: Could a digital system improve care planning, reduce admin time, or enhance compliance with inspections?

• Engage your team: Highlight how digital tools can make their jobs easier and focus on delivering person-centred care.

• Pinpoint pain points: Are paper records slowing you down? Are you struggling with oversight or data security? These challenges can guide your digital priorities.

Pro Tip: Create a wish list of features for your ideal system, such as eMar, PBS, risk assessments, or incident management.  

Step 2: Understand the costs involved

Budgeting is crucial when planning your digital transformation. Explore:

• Long-term value: Consider how a digital system might save costs by reducing paper usage, storage needs, and time spent on admin tasks.

• Payment models: Subscription plans are popular, while outright purchases are rare but might suit some.

• Training and support: Some suppliers, like Log my Care, include these services, while others charge separately—be sure to clarify what's included.

• Equipment needs: Decide whether to invest in new devices for staff or adapt existing ones, balancing upfront costs with usability.

Quick Tip: Carefully evaluate setup fees, subscription models, and any additional costs to avoid surprises down the line.  

Step 3: Research suppliers

Finding the right supplier can be daunting, but knowing what to look for makes it easier:

• Check for assurance: Choose suppliers from the NHS assured list to ensure high standards.

• Review features: Compare platforms based on your priorities—whether it's offline access, real-time data sharing, rostering, incident management or goal tracking.

• Ask about the product roadmap: Are software suppliers innovating fast, and in line with your evolving needs?

• Look at case studies: Ask to see case studies that demonstrate how the supplier has supported providers like you.  

Explore Events: Visit supplier showcases like the Care Show for in-person demos and networking.

Step 4: Test-drive digital systems

A demo is your chance to see how the system works in practice:

• Ask questions: Understand contract lengths, device compatibility, onboarding processes, and cybersecurity.

• Involve the team: Gather feedback from staff to ensure the system suits their workflow.

Remember: Many suppliers offer free trials or starter plans—use these to evaluate usability.

Step 5: Make your choice

With your research complete, narrow down options based on:

• Features that address your service's challenges.

• Costs and ease of implementation.

• Feedback from your team during the demo phase.

Pro Tip: Prioritise the supplier who aligns with most of your goals.

Step 6: Transition to digital

Start by deciding how to handle the shift:

• Move everything at once or phase it in gradually?

• Digitise existing paper records in-house or outsource the process?

• Equip your team with devices or use their own?

Key Consideration: Invest in sturdy device cases—accidents happen!

Step 7: Review and refine

Regularly evaluate your system’s impact:

• Is it saving time and money?

• Are incidents being tracked and resolved more effectively?

• Are staff and service users satisfied with the changes?

Set measurable goals to gauge success, such as reduced admin time or improved inspection scores.

Why start now?

Buying a digital social care record is not just about improving efficiency—it’s about transforming care delivery for a better future. Platforms like Log my Care make it simple to transition, offering intuitive tools that empower teams to deliver outstanding care with ease.

With these steps, your care service can embrace digital transformation confidently, ensuring a smoother transition and long-term success. Ready to start? Visit Log my Care to explore how digitalisation can revolutionise your service.

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