Digital Inclusion, Health and Social Care

Adam Micklethwaite, Director of Business DevelopmentJames Richardson, Head of Research & Innovation

Emily Redmond, Research & Specialist Insight ManagerTom French, Research & Data Manager

@TinderFdn#BCLive16

● We help the most vulnerable in society engage with technology and use it to

improve their lives: by combining digital with community action

● Use digital to drive positive outcomes in employment/skills, health/wellbeing, literacy/numeracy

● Major Government programmes, now working with local authorities

● Over 1.8 million people helped since 2010, further 2 million by 2020

About us

● Digital + local = deep impact at scale

● Network of 5,000 community organisations (UK online centres)

● Reach into vulnerable communities; holistic, person-centred support

● Resources, tools, expertise, advocacy and management of large-scale and targeted programmes

Our model

● Learn My Way

● Future Digital Inclusion (BIS)

● Widening Digital Participation (NHS England)

● English My Way (DCLG)

● Reboot UK (Big Lottery)

● Corporates: Lloyds Banking Group, ISPs

Our programmes

Tinder Foundation Learning and Development Strategy 2015

1.88mPeople supported to gain better basic digital skills

92%

Have improved their quality of life

Have progressed onto jobs or feel more employable

Feel more in charge of their finances and able to manage their money

62%

48%

● Activating community assets for digital

literacy (people and organisations)

● Learning targeted on social groups or geographical areas; or reflecting and supporting local policy

● Community-based digital programmes, within or across local services

Working with local authorities

Digital Health Literacy:A Community-Based Approach

● Three year Widening Digital Participation programme funded by NHSE

● Aims to address the challenge of reducing health inequalities by increasing digital inclusion and digital health literacy

● Grant funding provided to around 200 community organisations (UKOLCs) in England and ‘Pathfinder’ organisations

● Over 300,000 people engaged over three years, of which over 200,000 were supported through digital health courses

NHS WDP Overview

● 41% learned to access health information online for the first time; a further 32% have learned to do this better;

● 65% agreed that they are more informed about their health;

● 59% agreed that they are more confident using online tools to manage their health;

● 52% agreed that they feel less lonely or isolated and 62% stated that they felt happier as a result of more social contact.

Impact on Learners

● Digital and community based activity helps people with LTCs to self-manage through digital, community and peer support (on- and off-line)

● Reducing demand on acute/crisis health and social care services:○ Of the 34% of learners who would have gone straight to their

GP or A&E for non-urgent medical advice, almost half (46%) have since said they would first seek advice by visiting websites like NHS Choices (26%), going to a pharmacy (16%) or calling 111 (4%)

Self-care

Funded centres and their audiences for digital health:

○ 72% older people;○ 40% people with poor mental health;○ 40% people with learning difficulties;○ 28% disabled people;○ 21% carers; with 18.25% stating ‘unpaid carers’ as their main

audience;○ 15% disadvantaged young people.

Audiences

● Partnerships at a local level are successful but sometimes need scale to engage certain partners:○ Local authorities;○ CCGs;○ Health professionals;○ Third sector.

● Challenges of data sharing

● The need for clear referral routes and language - e.g. Rotherham SPS

Partnership Working

Digital Inclusion and Social Care

● 6.5 million unpaid carers in the UK, 2011● 1.5 people working in adult care, 2012● £55 billion estimated value of informal care and support, 2011● Impact of caring on health and wellbeing: social isolation, stress,

tiredness ● Carers place more importance on the health and wellbeing of who

they look after, than their own● Unpaid caring is a hidden issue; caring leaves little time to focus on

health; carers miss out on a life of their own; carers feel unsupported

Research with Unpaid Carers

● National organisations: Carers Trust, Carers UK and Family Fund● Community organisations: Carers Centres and UK online centres● Local Authority partnerships● Carers are hard to reach and identify● Lack of awareness of support on offer● Lack of holistic approach● More emphasis on those being cared for? (hidden carers)

Current Carer Support Models

● UK online centres model: community-based digital + social inclusion

● Local, informal, flexible● Known and trusted venues● Broad spectrum of integrated F2F support services ● Formal and informal learning● Functional & employability skills● A chance for socialisation, personal development & new

opportunities

Supporting Carers in Communities

● Not a replacement for F2F support for carers...● ...But it adds to what health and community-based services can

offer:○ Online forums○ Health information○ Leisure activities○ Informal and accredited learning○ Keeping in touch with family and friends

● Cost & time savings for carers and the organisations that support them; leaving more time and money to get the job done

Importance of Digital

Gill uses her iPad to chat to people and get support on the Alzheimer’s Society website. She says: “It’s all like-minded people on there and you can learn so much from it - that’s the most important thing for me.

“Attending the centre has given me confidence. I’ve passed the word around and quite a few of my friends have gone to get some advice and help too.”

Gill Brooker, Lincolnshire

● Investment in support for unpaid carers is cost-effective and reduces burden on paid care system

● Ideal is a service that integrates community delivery and digital to relieve pressure points and streamline patient/carer support

● Close communication & data sharing vital to ensure support is joined-up and consistent

● Incredibly important to measure outcomes, analyse support journeys, understand theories of change

● Importance of individual assessment of needs, skills gaps etc. to establish where community-based support can help

Steps to Success

● Essential to build and maintain partnerships● Get local support service providers in the same room● Audit services, identify interdependencies & establish a working

group● Agree responsibilities for maintaining contact, establishing SLAs

and co-ordinating different organisations’ activities● Agree purpose & desired outcome(s) of group & individual

partnerships

The Challenge

● Still not enough understanding of effective models● Urgent need to identify and disseminate best practice● Tools are already in place to achieve this: online learning,

marketing materials, network co-ordination, advice and advocacy● Scope for further research and dissemination● Please get in touch if you’d like to know more, or want to talk to us

about your work

Conclusion

?Questions

Group one: Digital Inclusion and Self-careGroup two: Digital Inclusion and Unpaid Carers

1. What do you currently do?2. How could this model benefit you?3. What are the barriers?

Workshops

Tinder Foundation: www.tinderfoundation.org / @TinderFdn

NHS Widening Digital Participation: http://nhs.tinderfoundation.org

UK online centres: www.ukonlinecentres.com

Thank you