Social care in the UK is at a breaking point. Caught between rising demand, workforce shortages and mounting financial pressures, the sector is struggling to keep pace. Many care recipients include older adults and people with complex needs; they are finding it harder to access consistent, high-quality support. At the same time, millions of unpaid carers are left to shoulder the emotional and practical burden; often, they receive little recognition or formal help.
Despite ambitious government targets for digital transformation and the promise of technology to ease the strain, progress has been slow and uneven. Many care providers still rely on outdated systems, and a significant digital divide remains for those who need support most. The government has announced in the latest spending review up to £10 billion for NHS technology and digital transformation by 2028-29, signalling recognition of the urgent need for change.
The government’s 10 Year Health Plan highlights a renewed focus on in-home care, prioritising technology in both health and social care, and finally recognising the crucial contribution of unpaid carers. The government’s commitment to provide a personal care plan for 95% of people with complex needs is a vital step towards patient-centric care.
However, the talk on innovation and digital transformation without the right investment in integration, accessibility, privacy, and ethical practice, vulnerable people risk being left behind by a system that cannot adapt to modern needs.
Fragmented care: A daily struggle
It is easy to talk about innovation and digital transformation as if they are simply buzzwords, promises for a distant future. In social care, though, the consequences of slow progress are happening right now. Much of the strain facing the system can be traced back to a stubborn lack of integration to social care technology and poor information sharing between the NHS, local authorities and community care providers. This is not just an administrative headache, it is a barrier that impacts real people every day.
Consider the situation of an older person being discharged from hospital after a fall. Their GP, the hospital, and the local council all hold different records and use separate systems. Information about medication or mobility needs might not reach the home care team in time, or perhaps not at all. Carers, whether paid or unpaid, are left to piece together incomplete details, which risks medication errors, missed appointments or even another trip to A&E. For families watching a loved one struggle, it is not just frustrating, it is frightening.
But the problem is not just about technology and information, it is also about how care is funded. Fragmented funding mechanisms mean that investment in social or community care, which could help people remain safely at home and reduce the likelihood of costly hospital admissions, does not always translate into savings for the NHS. Often, budgets are siloed, and the benefits of a holistic, preventative approach are lost across organisational boundaries. If local authorities or community services make efficiencies or prevent emergencies, the financial benefit is often realised by the NHS, rather than being reinvested in community support. This disconnect creates little incentive for true integration and reinforces a cycle of reactive, crisis-driven care.
The true cost of inaction
The cost of this fragmentation is staggering, and it is about more than just money. Of course, financial pressure is acute. Councils are squeezed, the NHS is stretched, and resources are in short supply. Yet, every avoidable hospital admission, every delayed intervention, and every breakdown in care coordination adds up. The end result is higher costs for the system and worse outcomes for the people who rely on it most.
We often say that ‘keeping people at home for longer’ is the gold standard in social care, and for good reason. Most people want to stay independent in the place they know best, for as long as possible. However, without the right tools and joined-up thinking, that goal becomes much harder to achieve. Technology that enables at-home monitoring, for example, can help spot problems early, such as changes in routine including frequent urination at night, missed meals or signs of confusion. With timely support, a crisis can often be avoided. When care teams, families and health professionals can share and act on this information, everyone benefits. When digital solutions are isolated or only available to a lucky few, that potential is lost.
The reality is that failing to embrace and integrate these innovations comes at a high cost. It leads to more emergency admissions, more pressure on already stretched hospitals and more unpaid carers pushed to breaking point. It also results in missed opportunities, those moments where a simple intervention could have prevented a downward spiral. For the people at the heart of this system, it can mean the difference between living with dignity and independence or falling through the cracks.
Building a system that works for everyone
Money, of course, does matter, and the government’s promise of investment in digital transformation is a step in the right direction. However, funding alone will not fix a fragmented system. We need solutions designed for integration from the very start, not as an afterthought. That means investing in platforms that can communicate with one another, breaking down the silos that make care so disjointed. It is also vital to listen to the people who use these services and put their needs at the centre.
As technology plays a bigger role in care, we have to get the basics right. Privacy, transparency and dignity are not optional extras. Vulnerable people deserve to know how their information is being used, and to trust that technology works for them, not against them. Accessible design is not simply a nice addition, it is essential. Trust, once lost, is hard to regain.
The risk of ignoring these challenges is not theoretical. Every year we delay, more people are left without the support they need. More families must navigate a complex and confusing system. More resources are poured into reacting to emergencies, rather than preventing them.
Ultimately, the question is not whether we can afford to innovate in social care. The real question is whether we can afford not to. The price of inaction is already too high, both in wasted resources and in human cost. If we want a system that is fit for the future, we must put integration, accessibility and ethical practice at the heart of every decision. It is time to move beyond talk and start building a care system that truly works for everyone.
Ian Burgess is the Managing Director and Chief Technology Officer at Canary Care.
