More Than £5 Million Awarded To Revolutionise Social Care
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has awarded over £5 million to nine research projects that aim to transform social care through the use of cutting-edge digital technology.
The funding – £5,444,562 million in total – has been awarded to institutions in England, Scotland and Wales through the NIHR’s Research Programme for Social Care (RPSC). The projects are expected to run for between 18 months and two years.
The NIHR invited collaborative UK research proposals exploring innovative uses of digital technology in social care, with a focus on artificial intelligence, digital devices, and new approaches to improve outcomes for adults and children.
There was particular interest in exploratory and applied studies that will investigate barriers to adoption, tackle inequalities in access and test new applications in under used settings.
Professor Mike Lewis, NIHR Scientific Director for Innovation, said: “The NIHR is fully committed to using digital innovations to improve the delivery of social care in the UK. This funding – which is aligned with the Government’s People at the Heart of Care vision, as well as its mission to move provision of care out of hospitals and into the community – will help us build evidence on how digital tools can transform social care and improve lives.
“It reflects the NIHR’s commitment to building capacity in social care research and ensuring technology is harnessed to support independence, enhance quality of life and strengthen the effectiveness of care for adults, children and carers across the UK.”
The nine funded projects will cover a range of approaches and interventions, including:
• virtual reality communication training for carers of people with severe mental illness
• whether cheap, everyday smart-home gadgets can help people with dementia stay safely connected to friends and family
• how councils use smart devices to help older people leave the hospital faster and stay safe once they get back home
• whether commonly used gadgets – like Alexa or video doorbells – can give disabled adults more freedom and control over their own homes
• a practical toolkit to help care home staff and residents feel more confident when using digital technology, like tablets
The full list of funded projects is:
• Embedding TEchnology in Care Homes (ETECH) – University of Glasgow
• Socially connected SmartCare at home: enhancing independent living for people living with dementia through low-cost technology – Cardiff University
• Using Artificial Intelligence to improve the use of evidence in social work practice – Cardiff University
• A realist synthesis and evaluation of how mainstream smart home technologies can support independent living for disabled people: understanding what works for whom, in what circumstances, and why – Cardiff University
• Turn down the noise: reducing noise and supporting people with dementia and hearing loss in social care settings – University of Worcester
• Building effective digital post-hospital discharge and reablement services for older adults in social care – University of Stirling
• Virtual reality assisted communication training for carers in severe mental illness – King’s College London
• Co-evolving proactive telecare in practice – University of Oxford
• Leveraging generative AI to support people with learning disabilities in their daily lives – Manchester Metropolitan University
Professor Martin Knapp, Director of NIHR Research Programme for Social Care, said: “This is really exciting, important funding from the NIHR, which will look to transform social care through some truly innovative solutions. By utilising the power of AI, virtual reality, smart home technologies and other tech, these projects offer real hope for supporting independent living and autonomy, and improving people’s lives by raising standards of care and support within their communities.”
