Funded by the Local Digital Fund | Consortium led by Redbridge Council | Governance by LOTI | Partner local authorities including Kingston & Sutton, Royal Borough of Greenwich and Dorset.

Recognising that adult social care was a neglected area in digital funding, I advocated for its inclusion in national reform conversations. By highlighting the importance of user-centred design in care systems, and lobbying through organisations including AWS, LOTI, and Tech UK, I was able to influence awareness at both industry and government level. This contributed to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) opening up digital investment to adult social care — a first, as ASC had previously been excluded from digital transformation funding.

As a result, the Mapping User Journeys into Adult Social Care programme was awarded £100,000 in Round 6 of the Local Digital Fund. Redbridge acted as consortium lead, supported by LOTI’s governance and partner councils: Kingston, Sutton, Royal Borough of Greenwich, and Dorset.

Programme Highlights

• Strategic Influence: Elevated adult social care into national digital funding policy, securing previously unavailable support for technology-enabled care reform.
• User-Centred Design: The programme brief focused on the complexity of navigating ASC entry points in a digital environment. We worked extensively with end-users — including GPs, service users, and care recipients — to capture real experiences and shape solutions that prioritised accessibility, dignity, and choice.
• Consortium Delivery: Redbridge led a multi-borough partnership with LOTI providing governance and assurance.
• System Mapping: Produced a complete model of ASC user journeys, exposing barriers and identifying opportunities to digitise referral, triage, and continuity of care.
• Cross-service Collaboration: Coordinated Redbridge teams (ASC, IT, Compliance, Service Desk, and Communications) while integrating learning with partner councils.
• National Impact: The resulting report has since been utilised by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)to inform national policy development and future ASC strategies.

Why It Matters

Why It Matters

This programme demonstrates how policy change, local leadership, and human-centred design can converge to deliver national impact. By embedding digital approaches into ASC, services become more accessible, resilient, and person-centred.

It contributes directly to the government’s People at the Heart of Care vision while anticipating the wider context of reform: the UK’s ageing population. As one of the government’s Four Grand Challenges, this demographic shift will increase demand for social care and place further pressure on public services.

Digital transformation is therefore not optional — it is essential. Scaling programmes like this ensures that adult social care can remain sustainable, equitable, and responsive as dependency grows across society.