More often than not, higher quality equals higher costs. When applied to products and services on the market, it makes sense. However, this cost to quality relationship gets murky when it strays into the realm of social services and health. The minimum funding level still needs to be enough to afford a high quality of care that residents deserve, and expect. This is becoming increasingly difficult in social care as local councils struggle to finance the industry following £700 million of funding cuts over the last 8-9 years. This comes as no surprise to anyone who has been following the funding issues social care is facing due to austerity measures.
To add to the woes, a recent report has found a ‘black hole’ in social funding that comes in the form of a predicted £50bn deficit in the next 6 years. Figures published by LaingBuisson suggest that the funding provided by councils on a per resident basis is, on average, £77 per week below the minimum cost of reasonable care. If this is the reality, it raises an important question: ‘how can we provide quality care on a budget?’
If you can’t cut services, then you must find cost savings elsewhere. The answer is efficiency. Technology-based solutions offer a way forward to help streamline business processes and reduce administration within a social care setting. Time lost in using paper-based systems, replete with hand-written forms and unnecessary administration can be simply eliminated with an integrated digital platform. Specialist technology in both clinical and care catering software are examples where technology can stretch the limited financial and workforce resources of care facilities further, so they can better care for the individual needs of each resident.
While technology uptake is relative low in the sector, with only some 15% of care homes having implemented a clinical software system, now is the perfect time to put technology to work to carve out the cost efficiencies the industry so desperately needs.
SoupedUp is a leading catering care software and online training provider now proudly serving the UK adult social care industry. Our proven technology solutions save care homes time and money, while reducing the risks associated with food service quality and delivery in a social care setting.