How integrated commissioning solutions can enhance adult social care

By Chris Sweeney, Director of Social Care Practice, System C

Thousands of older people need support for long-term care to lead a better quality of life and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions. However, resource constraints, workforce shortages and increased demand can put obstacles in the way of service provision in community care.

Integrating commissioning solutions with case management systems enables local authorities to organise care more efficiently and reliably with streamlined processes that save time for all involved.

The challenge of providing efficient, personalised care

The traditional approach to sourcing home care and other adult services is labour-intensive and time-consuming. A service finder typically receives a request from a social worker, outlining an individual’s care needs.

People’s needs can range widely: some individuals require assistance with mobility and have unique medical needs, while others might have dietary restrictions based on their religious beliefs or prefer specific care arrangements, such as having a female caregiver for personal care tasks.

The service finder would then have to manually call various care agencies, communicate these requirements and ascertain their availability.

This process is not only slow, but also prone to errors and miscommunication. Critical details might get lost in translation or need further investigation, leading to additional delays and potential mismatches in service provision.

Integrated commissioning systems provide an effective solution

An integrated commissioning solution addresses these inefficiencies by automating the care request process.

The way it works is that once an individual’s care needs are assessed and documented as a care package in the case management system, the service request is electronically pushed to potential providers.

Authorised providers – who have already submitted details on the services they can deliver – can access these requests, review the requirements in detail and respond within a specified timeframe and price for their support.

Care staff can then select potential providers online, choosing from a list of preferred providers, those specific to a particular geography or those on the open market.

This process reduces the time social care staff spend sourcing care. Providers receive detailed requirements in writing, avoiding the need for multiple phone calls and minimising the risk of miscommunication.

Service users also benefit from the digital process. Details are recorded and made available electronically, which leads to more accurate matching of services to individual needs.

Automated commissioning realises real-world benefits

Integration offers advantages that extend to care workers, providers and service users. Information is stored in a secure environment, protecting sensitive data and ensuring compliance with privacy regulations.

The system can adapt to various contract set-ups, accommodating pre-arranged rates or competitive bidding processes. Providers can ask for clarification and engage with the individuals initiating the service request.

In emergency situations, where immediate home care is needed to prevent hospital admission or to support discharge, the integrated system can expedite the process, ensuring timely care provision.

So, while the integrated commissioning solution is an innovation in the field, it already shows promise in various local authorities across the UK. Feedback indicates that it enhances efficiency and reduces the administrative burden.

Realising the promise of an integrated system requires co-ordination and alignment between different systems and stakeholders. Nevertheless, the overarching objective of achieving more efficient and personalised care is on the horizon.

Next steps on the integration journey

With a digitised commissioning solution, personalised care becomes more achievable without the time-consuming burden of hunting down the right providers. Such a system should not be seen as a replacement for human communication; it should support and empower frontline staff and make the process much more efficient and secure.

As the deployment of these systems expands and matures, more authorities are expected to adopt this integrated approach to improve the quality of care for older adults and other vulnerable populations. The journey towards fully integrated community care is well underway, promising a future where technology and compassion work together to support those in need.

At System C, our commissioning solution works with our Liquidlogic case management platform to help local authorities realise the potential of integrated care. Contact us for a demo or to speak with an expert.