New SSCR project
SENSITISE, optimiSing tEchNology’S contrIbuTIon to Social carE:
Understanding care sector preferences for informing technology development and adoption choices
The SENSITISE project, led by Professor Carl Thompson at the University of Leeds, aims to explore what people involved in social care—such as care users, workers, and funders—want from technology. The research team includes representatives from the Universities of Leeds and Sheffield, Skills for Care, Leeds City Council Technology Enabled Care Working Group and Experts by Experience.
The team will use a method called ‘choice modelling’ to gather and analyse preferences, focusing on how technology can improve care homes and home care for older people. The research will begin in Summer 2025.
Why is this research important?
The need for care is increasing, but there’s a shortage of people to provide it. Technology is often seen as a solution to improve care and save resources, but it hasn’t yet delivered consistent improvements for either care delivery or experiences. Technologies vary in cost, ease of use, and training requirements, and how people feel about these factors affects whether they use the technology and how helpful they find it.
There’s not enough reliable information on what people who use and provide social care want from technology. Without this data, it’s hard for technology developers and care providers to create effective solutions or make informed decisions. Social care is complex, with different parts of the system having unique needs. This project will focus on care homes and home care for older people.
What does this research aim to find out?
The research team’s primary goal is to gather and share information about technology preferences from people involved in social care. By creating a free-to-access database of these preferences, the project will help technology developers, care providers, and funders design and choose products that better meet the needs of people receiving care.
The project’s objectives will be to:
- Engage stakeholders in care homes and home care services to understand their views on technology.
- Set up a national panel for data collection.
- Develop surveys to capture what people prefer in social care technology.
- Analyze the data and offer recommendations for technology adoption and investment.
- Share findings and encourage actions based on the results.
The team will use surveys (online, postal, and in-person) to collect data from people in care homes and home care services. The research includes five key parts, each focused on gathering useful data for decision-making. Methods will be refined over time to ensure the findings remain relevant.
The project has been developed with input from care users, staff, and groups like Leeds City Council. A steering group made up of care users and practitioners will help guide the project to ensure it meets the real needs of those affected.
The team will share the findings in ways that are easy to understand for everyone involved in care. This will include academic papers, website updates, articles for carers and professionals, and briefings for policymakers, ensuring that the research leads to meaningful change.
