UK Parliament POST note on innovation in adult social care

The UK Government’s 2021 People at the Heart of Care white paper identified innovation as key to delivering “outstanding quality” in adult social care in England. This POSTnote gives an overview of innovation in adult social care. It provides a summary of the types of innovation in the sector and evidence on key barriers to and facilitators of innovation. It also presents lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses on England but also includes examples fromall four UK nations.

• Innovations in adult social care can deliver improved quality of life, less need for health or social care support and greater carer satisfaction.

• Many innovations exist in adult social care, but there is often little robust evidence about their effectiveness and successful ideas may not be widely adopted.

• Enhanced staff retention, better training and less risk averse leadership may increase levels of innovation.

• Building data and digital capacity, such as improving internet connections and digital skills, would facilitate innovation.

• Collaboration between organisations, financial stability and regulator support can boost innovation.

• Extensive innovation has been achieved during the pandemic but infrastructure, pay, funding and data are key to sustaining this.