The Future Telecoms Conference took place earlier this month, bringing together stakeholders from across the private and public sectors to discuss where connectivity is headed in the UK. Organised by techUK, this flagship event held in London was a forum for debate on today’s investment challenges and the critical need to bridge the digital divide for homes and businesses by extending reliable connectivity to underserved areas.
For those of us working in technology enabled care this is a challenge that we are well aware of as we get ever closer to the end of analogue technology across health, housing and social care and the benefits that will bring. With digital switchover now set for January 2027 and the government setting the pace for reform, this day long discussion could not have been timelier. It certainly should have focused minds.
The conference picked up on a recent speech by Minister of State for Data Protection and Telecoms, Sir Chris Bryant MP, where he stated: ‘there’s no route to growth without digital infrastructure.’ That referred to his appearance at the TMT World Conference in January 2025 where delegates gathered to discuss future deals and opportunities in digital infrastructure, telecoms and tech across the EMEA region and beyond.
This is an excerpt from that keynote speech highlighting the government’s role in supporting digital infrastructure investment and it’s as relevant to the TEC sector as it is the wider economy across the UK and Europe:
“A country with fierce ambitions: connectivity for all; inclusion wherever you live; science and innovation unshackled; AI unleashing greater productivity across the economy and public services.
“There’s no route to growth without digital infrastructure. The fibres, the subsea cables, the telegraph poles, the ducts, the data centres, the satellite connections, they are the central nervous system of a modern economy.
As delegates at the techUK event agreed, the time for talk is over. It’s now time for delivery. From the TEC sector’s perspective that includes reduced red tape, planning reform to speed up decisions and investment in the latest cloud-based digital technologies that are best placed to deliver a preventative model of care.
Peter Kerly, who leads Everon’s operations in the UK, said:
“Only with the right investment decisions that are focused on the long term partnerships and a connected approach to delivering person centred services will today’s acute pressures faced by the NHS and the wider community health ecosystem, including supported housing and care providers, be resolved."
Everon will be exhibiting and sharing how digital transformation can be delivered at the International Technology Enabled Care Conference taking place on 17 and 18 March 2025 at the ICC in Birmingham. You’ll find the team at Stand Number 11.
Wes Streeting has defended the timescale for reforming adult social care in England, promising to finally ‘grasp the nettle’ but saying it would take time.
The health and social care secretary announced on Friday, 3 January 2025 that an independent commission, chaired by Baroness Louise Casey, will begin work in April with a final report published in 2028.
We’re not alone at Everon UK in our view that this timescale feels too long, and that while getting it right is important, the government must look at measures that can be implemented sooner.
The timeline at present is for Baroness Casey to report back initially by mid-2026 and identify critical issues and medium-term improvements. Phase two will look at how to organise care services and fund them for the future.
That will not report until 2028 – a year before the next general election. It will also be a year after analogue to digital switchover is due to take place with all that means for investment decisions being made by service commissioners now.
So, what’s the thinking? The government’s ultimate aim is the set-up of a new National Care Service able, the Secretary of State says, to “meet the needs of older and disabled people into the 21st Century” He denies the government is pushing social care reform into the long grass.
But, it doesn’t take a genius to work out that even if Labour win a second term and commits to the recommendations, it is likely we will be a third of the way through this century before we see any benefits coming through.
We agree with Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of health think-tank The King’s Fund and her view that the timescale ‘feels far too long.’ In an interview with Radio 4’s Today programme, she argued the government should ‘get on and do a lot of things [it] can now and then accelerate the timetable for further reform. Their full response can be read here.
In our view, a failure to act upon the most urgent pressures facing the social care system risks a missed opportunity for investment in services now. This raises the potential of health and social care providers taking quick fix solutions when long term answers are required.
The sad thing is that many of the solutions are already here, including game-changing intelligent cloud-based wireless technology that can lift the burden and costs of providing social care. Transformative decisions that could make a real difference in preventing hospital admissions and allowing more care to be given at home, risks being delayed once again.
Cloud-based wireless technology has been used for years to improve levels of customer service in many other sectors, using data, trends and insight to support improvements. We can do the same for social care, shifting services to a more preventative and sustainable model-of-care.
In September, last year Lord Darzi of Denham, speaking following his independent review of the NHS, warned that that the health service would ‘remain broken’ unless Labour quickly addressed the dire care situation.
This feels like another excuse to go around in the same circle. It’s right that we get it right but how will this latest commission be any different from the Dilnot review of 2011. Surely that report has recommendations that could be delivered or tweaked now, rather than waiting for the same answers to be given again in three years’ time.
Seeking cross-party support for the commission and its outcomes is good, but we should already be there. A national consensus exists now, there can be no more excuse for delay. Those of us experienced in this sector know what needs to be done.
If we are to wait again, we hope all politicians do finally come together to find a real and workable solution and put party politics aside in the national interest. This is too important a task for political point scoring. We can’t go through this again.
In our view, technology needs to be adopted more consistently and in a way that supports the wider healthcare eco-system, including supported housing. This will ensure the real early warning signs for health deterioration are recognised and allow potential cost benefits and savings to be realised across both the health and social care sector.
At some point we hope our voices will finally be heard, and action that has the potential to transform both the NHS and social care across England is finally taken, and not quietly forgotten once again.
Everon works directly in the UK with commissioners of grouped or supported housing services – from housing associations to care home networks, local authorities to integrated care boards.
We specialise in cloud-based wireless technology that analyses data to provide insight for early detection of health issues. Everon has supported the likes of Clarion Housing, Hyde Housing, Community Housing and Jewish Care, working in continued partnership on the digital transformation of their estates.
To find out more about how Everon can support your organisation, contact our UK Sales Director Mark Smith – mark.smith@everon.net or book a consultation and we’ll be in touch.
AT Today is a leading publication for health and social care professionals interested in the latest news on assistive technology.
So, it was good to see them publish a feature this month on Peter Kerly, managing director for Everon in the UK. You can read the article in full on the AT Today website.
They asked him a series of questions to draw out a typical day in the life of a leading technology enabled care (TEC) supplier – not that any day is typical. It’s a busy time in a rapidly changing technology landscape.
Questions ranged from the kinds of assistive technologies Everon works with to the fully digital cloud-based wireless grouped living and home care solutions the company provides.
It was also a great opportunity for Peter to say where the sector is heading, including the shift to more data-driven, person-centred care.
To find out more about how Everon can support your organisation, and share emerging good practice through like-minded partnerships please contact our UK Sales Director Mark Smith – mark.smith@everon.net or book a consultation and we’ll be in touch.
Everon UK has joined techUK, the growing membership organisation that brings people, companies and organisations together to realise what digital technology can achieve through shaping policy, accelerating innovation and developing new markets.
As the European market leader in digital grouped assisted living solutions, Everon UK is championing the transition to a data-driven preventative model of care that allows care givers to detect issues early through pinpointing changes in behaviour. This aligns with TechUK’s ongoing mission to showcase how technology can tackle challenges facing society today.
Based in Kent, Everon UK has used 2024 to pursue strategic partnerships with exciting innovators like Howz located at Manchester Science Park to develop intelligent technology solutions that will power the next generation of care, allowing more people to live independently for longer.
Peter Kerly, Managing Director, Everon UK, said:
“We are delighted to announce our latest partnership as a new member of techUK, and look forward to playing our part in their mission to show just what digital technology can achieve. For us, that will involve transforming the wider health and care system, reducing hospital stays and spiralling costs for care home and emergency admissions.”
“This is a time of significant pressures on social care and health care, in terms of both capacity and cost, set against the backdrop of a demographic time bomb caused by a growing older population. For us, the future lies in a technology driven, preventative model of care, and we look forward to working closely with techUK and other partners to showcase and realise that potential.”
Ed Bevan, Head of SME Engagement at techUK, said:
"We are thrilled to welcome Everon UK to techUK. Everon's pioneering work in developing a data-driven, preventative care model is transforming the way we approach health and social care.
“Their innovative solutions in early issue detection and behaviour monitoring align seamlessly with techUK's mission to showcase how digital technology can tackle society’s most pressing challenges. We look forward to supporting Everon’s journey as they collaborate with like-minded partners to shape the future of intelligent, proactive care solutions."
