Our daily lives increasingly require us to ‘go online’ to access information, services, support and leisure. In the public sector, there is a focus on the ways digitalisation can enhance services- for example, the NHS 10 year plan has an emphasis on ‘analogue to digital’ with the NHS app, and with recent debates around Digital ID cards.
Social care is no different – social care services and provision are increasingly encouraged by policy initiatives, such as the funding for Digital Social Care Records, to use digital devices and systems.
However, the shift towards digital across public services is held back by digital exclusion. Understanding the causes of digital exclusion and how to support digital inclusion is vital to ensure people can access the social care support and other public services they need.