Mark Smith is Everon Group’s UK Director of Sales and Marketing. Since joining the business last autumn, he has championed the latest in digital wireless cloud-based solutions for supported housing and commissioners of adult social care services. Thanks to hard work and passion across the team, the effort is paying off in the UK.
In this piece he explores how technology enabled care in supported housing and other health and social care settings can deliver return on investment, how ready the UK market is for digital switchover, and the importance of thinking less about the kit and more on the capabilities of software for improving person-centred care and the central data capture that sits within it. By using software that offers data, trends and insights it will support their own company strategies in delivering a more connected approach to services.
Bringing smart technology to person centred care
In over 20 years of working in the sector, Mark has seen many false dawns when it comes to the take up of smart technology within housing and adult social care in the UK. Could 2025 be the year it changes? It certainly looks that way.
Using TEC to deliver return on investment
While smart technology has been embraced in a range of sectors and industries from banking to energy suppliers, it has yet to have the same impact within supported housing and social care settings. From temperature control to sensors in cars that inform drivers when it’s time to inflate their tyres, the potential has long been there.
A combination of ongoing challenges impacting the care sector and exciting advances in data-driven technology is changing things at last.
“There are far more discussions now by housing and social care providers in the UK around return on investment,” Mark says, “That’s not just in monetary terms but outcomes for service users too. More providers are looking at how they can evolve their services to be more proactive.”
Digital switchover focusing minds
This was already happening before the change in government last July but has accelerated in the months since and - with digital switchover fast approaching - is now at a tipping point.
This has partly been through necessity as service commissioners grapple with the challenges of attracting enough staff, increased demand for services caused by demographic changes and rising costs plus policy reforms from Whitehall aimed at delivering a more prevention-led model of care.
“You’re in a situation where you’re losing people but not recruiting at the same rate. It’s the perfect storm of needing to deliver more things to more people with less resources and less money,” Mark added.
One thing that has changed the conversation in the months since Mark joined Everon Group is the growing awareness of AI and machine learning – including sensor-led technology that can provide staff with the data needed to pinpoint changes in behaviour and detect any deterioration in health at the earliest stage.
“The talk around machine learning and AI has increased significantly, even in the last six months. Our focus at Everon Group is to show how these technologies can support care providers in sustainably and safely delivering cost-effective, high-quality services,” Mark said.
Leading the conversation at ITEC 2025
This year’s ITEC conference in Birmingham provided the perfect opportunity to have that conversation with people working on housing and social care about where they are in their digital transformation journey. The team is now following up with more than 60 potential future clients spoken to over the course of the two-day event. The common theme from those spoken with at the event was a recognition that they may have limited financial resources, but they still need to do digital transformation.
“They were looking not just for the type of services the need to deliver now but also the need for data and the understanding of what AI and machine learning could bring,” Mark said.
Digital switchover is fast approaching
While there is still time for action, the long awaited switch off for analogue telephone networks by UK communication providers, in just over a year, and the implications for legacy telecare systems is focusing minds, not least in terms of making decisions on future investment.
“The timescale are tight if providers are to upgrade their systems before analogue telephone networks are switched off in January 2027, Mark says, “ITEC 2025 provided a chance to consider together what the implications, how they’re going to deliver, and what we – as a business – could do to help.”
Many housing and social care providers already have strategies in place that have a connected approach to delivering services to support a more preventative model of care. The conversation at ITEC and other events over recent months have revolved around putting those ambitions into action.
“A significant number in the care industry are still doing the market testing and are only starting their digital transformation now, even with timescales of less than a year. There is still time to get things sorted, and it’s vital that they make the right decision,” Mark said.
“Their choice is changing a blue one for a red one and getting what they’ve always got – and worse if they go for a short term ‘sticking plaster’ solution – or a digital cloud-based wireless solutions set up to provide data, trends and insights that will deliver for today and for the long-term as their services evolve, and more importantly supports their own company strategies in delivering a more connected approach to services.”
Understanding where technology is headed
From the conversations with those attending ITEC 2025 the challenge is one of understanding where technology is headed and how we can support them now and into the future. That includes being able to fund new digital systems. With that in mind, Everon Group has put flexible commercial options in place to help spread the cost of investment, including leasing terms thanks to a partnership with Siemens.
“Our focus is less on the kit – but on the capabilities of the software and its central data capture that sits within it. With our partnership approach, we can help our customers get the most out of this intelligent technology and data it provides moving at their pace while planning for the long term,” Mark said.
“SaaS based models in other sectors allows customers, whether in the public or private sectors to now consider revenue and capital options as a basis – such as price per month or per connection. That is where we’re headed as a sector.
“We are a business that are looking to evolve the services we provide over time into a more Saas based data-led ecosystem that provide data, trend and insights to care providers so they know where they should be focussing their efforts by being able to step in at the right time, whether that’s early intervention or putting in place a care package.
“If we’re to move to a preventative model of care then there is a real opportunity to make a real impact by using technology as an enabler for truly person-centred care.”
Everon Group 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 improvements or indeed declines in living independently social and healthcare issues to match personalised care. Everon Group partners include Clarion Housing, Hyde Housing, Community Housing and Jewish Care to name a few working in continued partnership on the digital transformation of their estates.
To find out more about how Everon Group can support your organisation book a consultation and we’ll be in touch.
