I have always been inspired by JK Rowling’s powerful Harvard commencement speech in which she discussed the fringe benefits of failure. As JK said,”It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not lived at all in which case, you fail by default.”
We live in an age that relentlessly promotes innovation. However across the public sector our willingness to talk about risk and learn from failure has not kept pace. Whilst there seems to be consensus about the need to share learning many organisations are working in a competitive funding environment which does not encourage this to happen. How can we create a space which encourages organisations to share the learning about projects which have not achieved their anticipated and desired outcomes and impact?
Our Practical Strategies for Learning from Failure workshop on the 5th August in Cardiff offers the opportunity for strategic thinkers who recognise that we need to learn how to deal with disappointments, mistakes and failures of all kinds. It responds to the #PdDigital15 challenge “how can we unleash people-led digital innovation in health and wellbeing?” by helping to de-stigmatise failure and ‘what doesn’t work’ so we can adapt and move on more quickly.
The event is being facilitated by a unique team bringing perspectives from practice, research and different sectors.
Roxanne Persaud @commutiny Doctoral Researcher, University of Southampton
Paul Taylor @PaulBromford Innovation Coach, Bromford Lab
We will be working with you to consider the following questions.
What are the costs of failure and how can we do things differently?
Why do we continue to reward the “wrong” activities?
What are the guiding principles to prepare for a new landscape with citizens at the centre?
There is no charge for the event, thanks to the people at #PdDigital15 and the Wales Audit Office so we expect everyone to make commitments to preparatory thinking, collaborative working, and follow-up. We are doing this because we believe it is important to keep up critical momentum on the conversation.
Once registered on this workshop you will need to complete a short questionnaire. It will take about 10 minutes and give you a flavour of the kinds of conversations we will have and provide valuable insights to inform the workshop.
The main outcome from the workshop is to begin a cross sector conversation about how to share the learning from failure across health , housing , care and the wider social sector.
If you are not able to attend the workshop but would like to join in the conversation on Twitter and share resources you have found useful we are using the hashtag #LFFdigital
(We are not officially announcing it yet but if you cannot come to Cardiff in August we will be running another #LFFdigital workshop in Leeds on the 8th October)
Last week I attended People Driven Digital Health and Care in Leeds. It was a fascinating and fun event. I was honoured to be invited to provide some thoughts at the launch about the challenges and opportunities in the digital space alongside Tim Kelsey and Anne Cooper.
An excellent question was posed by Mike Clark at the start of the event and here are some responses and it raises interesting questions about what each of us considers to be a health and wellbeing app!
Question for #PdDigital15 speakers/organisers – from pers experience, what are top 3 digital apps that improve health/wellbeing outcomes?
My recommendations: Twitter (rich source of real time information about the latest digital health and care innovations) , jawbone (motivational and competitive element makes it fun) and @squeezyapp (very good for pelvic floor muscle exercises!).
I would also highly recommend Patient Opinion because of the richness of experiences being shared and the opportunities for health and care organisations to respond publicly as to how they are addressing concerns, complaints and praise.
One of the best apps I've used with older people @shirleyayres is 'Lets Create Pottery'. Fun, creative and tablet skills. #PdDigital15
Paul Taylor and the Bromford Lab have been experimenting with a cheap Cardboard Virtual Reality kit and I did get very excited about the one he brought (as did Chris Bolton and Paul Webster)!
Thanks to everyone who contributed their favourite health and wellbeing apps . I am very aware there are thousands of digital innovations available and I would love you to share your favourites either here or via Twitter @shirleyayres!
You can read more about the event through the following rather excellent posts
There are too few opportunities for robust debate about the need for a long term revolution which challenges the traditional institutional models of care. I believe we have to disrupt the current care market because it is just not fit for purpose.
My Long Term Care Revolution paper for Innovate UK highlighted the reality that living longer does not feel like a celebration when care options in later life do not reflect our aspirations and experience of living in a digitally connected world.
In 2013 Nominet Trust published my Provocation Paper exploring the question “Can online innovations can enhance social care?” The simple answer is yes but digital technology on it’s own is not the solution. Technology cannot fix broken systems and digital cannot be just a bolt on or optional extra – digital transformation has to be at the heart of every organisation.
Technology and tools help us navigate an increasingly complex world but they will never replace human creativity, empathy and intuition. We have to understand both the potential and the limitations of what digital technology can offer.
We certainly need better ways to collaborate, signpost, and share knowledge. Connected Care is important to make sense of a complex and fragmented landscape. Innovation in adversity has to involve care, health, housing, entrepreneurs, the technology industry, innovation funders, the wider social sector, citizens and whole communities.
We seem to have a deficit of imagination about how to build and support the strengths and assets within communities. How can we use technology to support citizens to live more fulfilling lives connected with the people, ideas and activities which are so important to each of us?
There is so much potential for digital technology to enable people to make new connections, contribute to person-centred support, develop community networks and new models of care so an obvious question is what is stopping more widespread adoption?f
There is no shortage of innovations in digital technology and millions of pounds are being spent supporting further developments. It is less clear about the application, impact and usage of these innovations. One problem is the limited awareness in the sector and amongst the public about what is available and it’s value. I believe that a big deficit is the lack of a strategic approach to embedding digital technology in the range of options to support people to live more fulfilling lives.
My proposals:
Convene a roundtable for all the funders of digital technology to explore collaboration, sharing practice and a common approach to evaluating and promoting the outcomes and impacts of their investment.
Provide signposts which enable care recipients, their families and carers to find out what technology products and services are available, both through statutory services or to purchase independently.
Create, promote and participate in events that showcase innovations in care which could be adopted by local authorities, the NHS and housing providers.
Map all of the digital community hubs (however defined) which are available to ensure that people have access to local resources. This would also identify areas where there is currently no support available.
Benchmark levels of awareness about technology innovations across the care sector and work with key players to promote and share the benefits of innovation.
Are we making progress? Despite millions of pound given in grants for innovation and digital inclusion, endless reports, numerous conferences and a recognition that digital technology is an integral part of our lives I sometimes feel I am living in a parallel universe to the Ageing Better industry …..
From the Big Lottery Fund £82 million investment in Ageing Better to the £50 million endowment creating the Centre for Better Ageing and the diverse Nesta programs it seems there is a proliferation of partnerships exploring how to embed innovation in care but the jury is out about their impact. Maybe the recently launched Innovate UK £4 million Long Term Care Revolution national challenge will provide some answers?
The “Ageing” sector is a complex and fragmented multi million pound industry involving hundreds of organisations and millions of potential beneficiaries. How often have you asked if your your product or service could be improved and made assumptions about the problems people really need help solving?
I welcome your ideas about how we can shift from yet more research and reports to innovation with practical and useful outcomes which will improve the quality of life for older people now and in the future! My #AgeingBetter dream encompasses personalised care driven by technology, smart homes with sensors, robot companions and driverless cars.
Looking 20 years ahead as baby boomers reach the age 80 plus we still have time to plan and get it right. But we have to move from rhetoric and reports to action now!
It is time to take long term care out of the shadows and promote a public debate about the care and support we aspire to in later life rather than accepting the current institutional models which offer so little choice and control for older citizens. The publication of Key to Care@PaulBurstow supported by @LGiUis a timely reminder of the challenges confronting the care sector and I welcome the mention of the need for service design and investing in technology.
I am one of the much maligned baby boomers being blamed by politicians and the media for not being responsible in planning for later life. The obvious question is what exactly I should be planning for – being warehoused in an institution which may strip me of my dignity, pride and independence?
A blueprint for the redesign of long term care does not yet exist and we lack an overarching vision about how we want our care and support in later life to be provided beyond the institutional model. What are the levers of influence when social care is so complex and fragmented?
I believe our biggest challenge is bringing together all the sectors with an interest in improving the quality of later life for older citizens. As an example this includes: NHS health and care sectors, care providers, housing associations, emergency services, the wider social sector, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Kings Fund and many other think tanks, Care Quality Commission, Telecare providers, Independent Age, International Longevity Centre , Age UK, CarersUK, Design Council, Innovate UK, Nesta, Big Lottery and Nominet Trust who fund social technology projects, Centre for Ageing, universities, technology innovators, different Government Depts: Health, Communities and Local Government, Work and Pensions, Cabinet Office, Business, Innovation & Skills, Innovation Labs and Impact Labs across the UK. (I should add that this is only a small sample of the organisations involved in this area!)
I wonder if all of these bodies have ever sat down together to explore more effective collaborations and how to avoid duplication of effort and resources in basically tackling the same problems?
An honourable mention for how technologies from other sectors and industries could help address the seemingly intractable problems about supporting citizens in later life.
There seems to be a gulf between thinking and doing as organisations are unable to turn ideas into actions. Is this because there are so many stakeholders with their own perspectives and priorities sometimes struggling to survive in a competitive funding environment? .
Last week I launched my Long Term Care Revolution Provocation Paper commissioned by Innovate UK to provide an independent perspective about the challenges of developing radically different models of care which will meet the needs and aspirations of older citizens in later life.
With many thanks to Paul Taylor for developing the presentation
@shirleyayres excellent summary of what needs to be done. . What I learnt: How fragmented the world of long term care is. Thanks for sharing
— Vishal Gulati (I back scientists) (@VishalGulati_) December 10, 2014
If long term care is not fit for purpose how can we revolutionise the system or do we accept that the system is not the best but it is slowly changing and we need to give it time?
The “Ageing” sector is a complex multi million pound industry involving hundreds of organisations and millions of potential beneficiaries. From the @BigLotteryFund £82 million Ageing Better investment to the £50 million being spent creating the new Centre for Ageing Better why has there been so much reluctance to embrace new models of care for older citizens? There are a proliferation of partnerships and alliances exploring this agenda and how to embed social innovation in long term care. It is unclear how they are collaborating to provide a UK overview. Critical messages get lost in the plethora of reports and which often appear to be covering similar areas of concern such as isolation, loneliness. digital participation and the value of older citizens.
The reality is that person centred care will translate from words into everyday reality when we focus on the older citizen and are able to answer the simple questions “what will improve the quality of your life?” and “what care would you like to support you to live a fulfilling life?”
Our ageing population represent a victory for better nutrition, better housing, and the welfare state. People in later life offer wisdom, experience, perspective and a wide range of skill sets and capacities. Why are we not utilising the wealth of knowledge and experience of older people to develop and deliver community services that meet their needs?
We need a cultural mindshift which challenges the idea of older citizens being “objects of charity” rather than active consumers
How do we change the narrative and think about a future where people look forward to later life with a wide range of choices to live a fulfilling life which is not dependent on health, locality or relationships?
Strangely people aged sixty plus are not one homogeneous group, we are as varied as individuals in any other sector of the population and our different life experiences inform our perspectives as consumers. Older people may have similar needs physically but these do not erase life experiences, preferences and orientations. Older people is not an identity but a statistical category
The budget deficit in health and care seems to have become a race to cut costs and shift responsibilities and places little value on the quality of life of the citizen requiring long term care. Organisations with a focus on systems and processes are still negotiating block contracts for care services. Services are not being tailored to meet the personal needs, hopes and aspirations of older citizens. There appears to be a focus on medicalising later life care which ignores the health risks associated with loneliness and social exclusion amongst older citizens.
Our society has advanced in all aspects of life socially, medically, economically, technologically, environmentally. These advances have substantially redefined how we live our lives on a daily basis, how we travel (space, air, sea and land), how we communicate, how we work, how we manage our finances, how and what we buy, how we experience leisure and entertainment, and how we educate ourselves. Yet the institutional principles which form the basis of long term care provision remains completely unaffected by such changes and have failed to develop in-step with these advances.
How do we make organisations culturally ready for moving from institutional thinking to person centred care which recognises how the adoption of digital technology can enhance the care and support available within communities? Digital does not have to mean no human contact. What it can do is free up the time for more face to face contact.
A gentle reminder that baby boomers expectations and aspirations have been shaped by:
1953 Francis Crick and James Watson discovering the structure of DNA.
1963 Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his historic “I Have a Dream” speech
1993 work on the Human Genome Project started
1969 Neil Armstrong becomes the first man to set foot on the moon
1971 Launch of the Open University
1973 Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon is released
1998 Google founded
1998 Launch of Apple iMac
2001 Launch of Wikipedia and the first Apple iPod..
2004 Facebook is founded
2006 Twitter was created
A serious question has to be asked about why the NHS and Social Care sectors who currently commission the majority of long term care have been so slow to develop a culture which promotes innovation. Market shaping exercises seem to assume the ‘status quo’ will continue indefinitely which is confirmed by the number of care providers now building new and larger care homes.
It is worth mentioning that my @nominettrustProvocation Paper published in 2013 highlighted how online innovations can enhance social care. Disappointingly I have seen very little mention of this in the Better Care Fund plans and the Care Act implementation. Frankly I am astounded at the disconnect between what policy makers and care providers think is required in later life and how I see my my future which includes:
Mobility is often a challenge for older citizens. Apart from decent and affordable public transport how could driverless cars keep people connected with their family, friends and the community?
Living choice for older citizens are influenced by standards, regulations, the design of new housing and lifetime homes. What are the options for retrofitting of existing housing stock; shared lives and co-housing. How can we support inclusive communities and neighbourhoods through urban design and planning?Where is the thinking across social care, health and housing about the importance of smart technology enabled homes
There are tough and uncomfortable questions to be discussed to inform the debate about how we can all look forward to a future without fear of being abandoned to a market where vital care and support is determined by our income and locality rather than our needs and personal preferences. We have to address the potential shortfall in both formal and informal carers in the future with more people living on their own who do not have families to support them.
I want a clear vision for the future which offers a coordinated system with many different life choices for citizens in later life. This is not just the responsibility of one sector it needs to engage each and every one of us at local, national and UK wide levels in a public debate about our hopes and aspirations for care in later life.
A substantial number of reports, research and articles informed the development of the Provocation Paper and I will be providing a follow up post which details the background reading.
The new Radio 4 series The Invisible Age is looking at the issue of sixty plus age groups encompassing several generations and how we as a society regard older citizens. The recent You and Yours programme asked the question ‘do people treat you differently once you’re over 60’. I was invited to discuss with Winifred Robinson our attitudes to ageing, whether people are ignoring ageing issues and why we need a long term care revolution.
The most powerful need we humans have is to be connected and to remain connected. Social media provides unrivalled opportunities for all of us to contribute to the long term care debate. I would love you to add thoughts, comments and share your dreams about the choices you would like in later life!
I’d like to share a secret. The reason I can keep up to date with the extraordinary pace of technological innovation across the care, health and housing sectors is because of the excellent TelecareLin newsletter produced every month by Mike Clark.
Launched October 2005, this free monthly newsletter is distributed to 48,000 subscribers in the UK and worldwide via e-mail and archived at www.telecarelin.org.uk. You can find highlights on Rebelmouse (daily) or by following Mike Clark on Twitter (@clarkmike). With over 800 news and events links over the last month this is an incredibly valuable resource. Thank you to Innovate UK (previously the Technology Strategy Board), Knowledge Transfer Network and the Telecare Learning and Improvement Network for funding this important resource.
As an example if you have an interest in digital technology and work in health, care or housing are you aware of the following events taking place in the next few months? (For the full list have a look at the latest newsletter!)
The Scottish Centre for Telehealth and Telecare will this year host the Scottish Digital Health & Care Week in conjunction with the Scottish Government’s eHealth and Joint Improvement Team from November 3 – 7 2014.
There is so much talk about the importance of the digital revolution for promoting more integrated care focused on the person, their needs, hopes, aspirations and lifestyle. What we have not been so good at doing is connecting all the different elements together and offering connected care to the individual, their family and care and support network.
Thanks Mike from one very grateful beneficiary of the knowledge, wisdom and resources you share so generously!
I am delighted to announce that Deona Hooper will be taking over the Advanced Social Work Practice Network on LinkedIn. Deona is the the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the internationally renowned Social Work Helper Magazine. I have chosen her to be the new guardian of the of the Advances Social Work Practice Network Group because she shares my vision for the Network Although I will no longer be the principal owner of the group, I will remain a member and support Deona in helping her grow and continue to meet the needs of this community.
A brief introduction from Deona
“My vision for this group is to continue using an interdisciplinary approach to discussing advance social work practice. I hope this group will serve as a catalyst to spur international debates and discussions on issues affecting social workers globally. Please, feel free to contact me at deona@socialworkhelper.com with any feedback you may have, or if you are interested in being a moderator for the group. I look forward to connecting with all of you.”
In addition Deona has generously agreed to co-facilitate the Network for Professionals Working with Vulnerable Children and Young People group with me.
As Deona says
“Although we are on opposite sides of the Atlantic, we saw an opportunity to bridge our talents and passion for digital media and communications into a single forum.
My hope is that collectively we will be able to further advance this international platform to increase the reach of individual group members’ voices as well as your ability to connect with other like minds globally. As practitioners, we often share many of the same barriers and challenges when it comes to protecting vulnerable populations no matter our geographical location.This group serves as a perfect place to help facilitate those conversations. I look forward to taking on a more active role and connecting with each of you.”
Many thanks Deona and I look forward to a truly international collaboration!
It is with great sadness that I have to announce that this group will be closing on the 30th September 2014. I no longer have the resources to continue to support the group and have decided that now is the time to bring it to a close rather than letting it begin a period of unmanaged decline.
It’s been fascinating over the last four years to have been able to watch this community grow, change, learn and develop. When I started the group there were few social work LinkedIn groups available and I am delighted that there are now so many different group to choose from.
I explored with the College of Social Work the possibility of them running the Network to take it forwards but, due to the lack of resources available to develop the group, they declined the opportunity.
The Network has been managed on a voluntary basis by me since it started and I believe part of it’s success has been approving members in a closed group to ensure the professional ethos is maintained and protected. But the reality is that this undertaking requires time and resources to manage as the College of Social Work rightly pointed out.
I hope very much that at least some of the members will start a similar group with a similar ethos building on the strong and involved community here. I really look forward to watching the direction that you will take it in future.
With all good wishes for the future and thanks for your support of the LinkedIn Advanced Social Work Practice Network.
I have become aware that in the past few weeks there have been a lot of views of Connected Care Camp posts. I am delighted at the growing and continuing interest in our Care in the Digital Age programme. The Camp was held in December 2013 in collaboration with FutureGov. Prior to the day we invited people to explore the problems and challenges for connected care which had been identified through discussions and the online survey. These included:
Social Isolation and Loneliness
User and patient engagement and the personalisation of services
Information, Advice and Support
Digital Literacy, Inclusion and Technology Barriers
Connected Communities
The challenges of Integrated Care
With an increasing focus in both the Care Act and the Better Care Fund on the use of digital technology I thought it would be helpful to provide a round up of the posts, resources and videos shared before, during and after the event.
The Care in the Digital Age programme was developed to encourage Local Authorities, Health and Wellbeing Boards, Clinical Commissioning Groups and the housing sector to explore and excite staff, service users, carers and volunteers about how social technology can support more connected communities. Do get in touch if you would like to collaborate with us on running this programme in your locality.
I was delighted to be at @hseparty in Manchester last week. The energy and creativity was in full flow over a very packed two days. Housing, like the health and care sectors, are confronting real challenges in terms of their role and how community services can be delivered most effectively. Thinking differently and exploring the potential of new collaborations and partnerships offers so many opportunities. To get a sense of the diversity of activities and debate have a look at the #hseparty14 Twitter stream.
The #powerplayers14 Awards dinner faithfully recorded by @johnpopham was a real celebration of the growing influence of digital technology and social media across the housing sector. @PaulBromford explains the thinking which informed the Power Players list and the role of super connectors.
The housing question time provoked much interest and debate. My feeling is that every event should now include a live streamed question time! Thanks to the excellent panel Anne McCrossan, Nick Atkin, Caroline King, James Pargetter and to John Popham who suggested the idea and recorded the debate. Definitely worth watching.
“Co-production is the way forward” and how to communicate through balloons. Lovely lessons from the @bigbanglab Balloon Orchestra Workshop
Paul Taylor’s thoughts on “Do Housing Associations need Innovation Labs?” were shared at the Chartered Institute of Housing annual conference which was being held at the same time as House Party. Innovation and new ways of thinking were a constant theme at House Party so it was fascinating to see the debate generated by #dronegate which, in fairness, was only a small element of his presentation.
And finally a big thank you to Matt Leach from HACT and Esther Foreman from the Social Change Agency who had the vision and passion to make House Party such a success.
This week I am attending HouseParty the first ever unofficial housing fringe bringing together grassroots housing and social change-makers to explore, showcase and discuss the latest innovations in UK housing and beyond organised by @HACThousing and @SocialChangeAg. Have a look at the innovative programme and follow #hseparty14 to understand what has inspired @HseParty. My one regret is that the health and social care sectors have not seized this opportunity to engage with housing colleagues in addressing the challenges of community engagement and digital inclusion.
On Wednesday 25th June at 9.30 @PaulBromford, @HelReynolds and I will be contributing to @HseParty by having a very social conversation and we would love you to join us using the hashtag #socialconvo. Helen, Paul and I come from very different backgrounds but we share a belief that being social is about sharing generously, creating relationships and seeking new collaborations.
Paul has shared 10 Things We Learned About #SocialMedia Behaviours From #PowerPlayers14 in this rather stunning presentation.
Our first#socialconvo was held in London where @MarkOneinFour, Paul and I discussed how social media can be used for social good. As Mark so delightfully puts it “how do you move social media from a broadcasting medium to a space where relationships grow and where, sometimes, magic things happen?”
I have long been a fan of Erik Qualmann and his powerful and very popular videos which provides statistics about the global influence of social media. As Erik says “it is not a question now about whether you should be involved in social media but how well you do it”
It was great to see Erik respond on Twitter to Paul’s comment that “the @equalman clip turns as many CEOs off as it excites”
Just in case you have not seen the latest Socialnomics video!
Helen, Paul and I hope you will join us on Wednesday 25th June at 9.30 to explore “How social is your organisation and what investment do you need to make to become an influencer in the increasingly crowded social space?” We welcome your thoughts, comments and questions via #socialconvo!
PS: Congratulations are definitely in order for @HelReynolds who was number one on the #powerplayers14 list and who recently won the local government category of the Digital Leaders 100 Awards.
If you would like to explore the benefits of having a social conversation in your organisation do get in touch!
We are now turning the spotlight away from the #powerplayers14 list and looking for the people and organisations with an interest in the housing sector who are doing something new and making a difference through the use of social technology.
Anybody can make a nomination. All you have to do is to state who you are nominating, the category & the reason. You can post your nomination with a comment in the blog or use Twitter with the hashtag #powerplayers14. Nominations close 5.00 Tuesday 24th June.
Winners will be revealed during the House Party dinner on Tuesday evening from 7.45pm by Paul Taylor and Boris Worrall. and I will be presenting some special awards!
After the excitement generated by #PowerPlayers14 we’ve decided to reflect on peoples contribution to digital housing one final time this year at House Party in Manchester on 24th June.
This is a time of huge change in the public sector and the importance of social and digital technology has never been so important.
Despite the success of #powerplayers14 – the housing sector still has a mountain to climb in embracing new ways of working and thinking. Once you open the door to social media you have begun to change the nature of your organisation. There’s no going back.
We are now turning the spotlight away from the list itself and towards the difference that has been made. These are awards for the people and organisations who are doing something new and making a difference.
I have become aware that in the past few weeks there have been a lot of views of Connected Care Camp posts. I am delighted at the growing and continuing interest in our Care in the Digital Age programme. The Camp was held in December 2013 in collaboration with FutureGov. Prior to the day we invited people to explore the problems and challenges for connected care which had been identified through discussions and the online survey. These included:
This week I am attending 
bonklesoul
Ermy
shirleyayres
Connecting Social Care and Social Media 