Project Overview
A UK local authority conducting 2,800 adult social care assessments per year was operating on a paper-based pr...
Technology Stack
Compliance & Standards
The Challenge
A UK local authority conducting 2,800 adult social care assessments per year was operating on a paper-based process — social workers completing paper assessment forms, hand-written care plans, and manual allocation to care providers. The Care Act 2014 and Care Quality Commission (CQC) requirements for person-centred assessment, GDS Service Standard, WCAG 2.1 AA, and UK GDPR for highly sensitive adult social care data (special category health and disability data under Article 9) were mandatory. Budget: £95,000.
Our Approach
Care Act wellbeing assessment domains
- physical, mental, emotional wellbeing
- personal dignity
- control over daily life
- participation in work/education/training
- social and economic wellbeing
- domestic/family/personal relationships
- suitability of living accommodation
- contribution to society.
- Digital form captures evidence against all 9 domains.
Eligible needs
- automatic calculation from responses against eligibility criteria (substantial/critical).
- Eligibility decision requires social worker review and sign-off.
GDS and Local Gov Digital Standards
- GDS 18-Point Service Standard.
- GOV.UK Design System throughout.
- WCAG 2.1
AA
screen reader testing with NVDA.
User research
- 18 participants including social workers, service users with physical disabilities, and carers.
- GOV.UK Notify for assessment outcome communications.
- Local Government Digital Service Standard (LGDSS) alignment.
- UK GDPR Article 9 —
Adult social care assessments contain
- disability information, health conditions, mental health status, personal care needs, and safeguarding history.
- Article 9(2)(h): processing necessary for provision of health or social care (explicit basis for UK local authority social care).
Access control
social worker sees only their allocated service users.
Safeguarding data
senior officer access only. 10-year retention (Care Act statutory minimum).
Care market integration
automated care provider matching based on assessed needs (domiciliary care, residential care, day services), geographic area, and provider availability.
Direct Payments
digital payment tracking for service users managing their own care budgets.
Care plan publishing
structured care plan shared electronically with care provider (replacing fax/email PDF).
The Results
System live at 16 weeks, £88,000 — under budget.
Assessment completion time: 4.5 hours average (paper: 6.2 hours).
Eligible needs identification: 97% of eligible needs correctly identified (paper: estimated 84% — missed needs result in under-assessment and unmet care needs).
CQC inspection: digital assessment system cited as innovation in person-centred practice.
WCAG 2.1 AA: Cabinet Office monitoring zero non-compliances.
“The CQC inspector specifically cited the digital assessment tool as a strength in person-centred practice. Identification of eligible needs going from 84% to 97% means 364 more people per year getting the care they need who were previously being under-assessed. That is what the technology is for." — Director of Adult Social Services, UK Local Authority (name withheld)”
Project Details
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