Digital Supplier Due Diligence, Exit Planning and Data Portability in Social Care
Digital systems underpin core care delivery, so supplier failure or contract exit can quickly become a continuity and governance risk. Providers need to plan for exit and data portability from the outset, not after problems emerge. Within Digital Procurement & Contract Management, due diligence and exit planning must align with operational dependency through Digital Care Planning, ensuring that records, workflows and safeguards remain robust if systems change.
This article explains practical due diligence, exit planning and data portability controls that support defensible contracting and safe transitions.
Why exit planning is a safety and governance issue
In adult social care, the consequences of losing access to care records, visit schedules or audit trails can be immediate. Exit planning reduces the risk of a contract change becoming a service disruption, safeguarding issue or inspection concern.
Exit planning is also linked to value for money. Providers who cannot exit easily can become locked into poor service, rising costs or unsuitable products.
Supplier due diligence beyond the sales pitch
Digital due diligence in social care should include checks that reflect operational reality, such as:
- Financial stability and business continuity arrangements
- Service support model and escalation routes
- Information governance capability (security controls, data handling, access logs)
- Evidence of uptime, resilience and incident management processes
- Ability to export data in usable formats and support migration
Providers should document these checks as part of procurement governance, not rely on informal assurance.
Operational example 1: Due diligence identifying support capacity risks
Context: A provider considered switching to a lower-cost supplier offering a care management platform, but the supplier had limited support staffing and vague escalation arrangements.
Support approach: The provider requested evidence of response-time performance, support staffing ratios and incident management processes, and tested escalation routes through scenario questions.
Day-to-day delivery: Operational managers reviewed the supplier’s proposed support model against real operational scenarios (missed visits, safeguarding alerts, medication recording queries) to assess feasibility.
How effectiveness is evidenced: The provider documented the due diligence findings and decision rationale, demonstrating proportionate risk management and avoiding a transition that would likely have undermined safe delivery.
Data portability: what “export” must mean in practice
Many suppliers state that data can be exported, but the practical question is whether exported data is usable, complete and supports continuity. Providers should clarify:
- What data types can be exported (care plans, daily notes, MAR records, audit trails)
- Export formats (CSV, PDF, structured outputs) and whether metadata is preserved
- How long exports take, and whether there are fees or limits
- Whether exports include historical revisions and access logs
Without these details, exit planning is not meaningful.
Commissioner expectation
Commissioners expect providers to manage digital supplier risk and continuity, including evidence that systems supporting contractual reporting and safe delivery are resilient, and that providers can maintain service continuity if suppliers change.
Regulator / Inspector expectation
Regulators expect providers to protect records, confidentiality and continuity of care, including a clear understanding of how digital records are stored, accessed and preserved during change or system transition.
Operational example 2: Planning a controlled system exit
Context: A provider decided to exit a contract following repeated downtime and unresolved data accuracy problems.
Support approach: The provider created an exit plan covering data export, parallel running with the new system, workforce training, and contingency processes during migration.
Day-to-day delivery: Care coordinators used both systems for a defined overlap period. Supervisors performed daily checks on record completeness and visit verification until stability was confirmed.
How effectiveness is evidenced: The provider demonstrated continuity with no missed visits, maintained record integrity, and retained a clear audit trail supporting governance scrutiny.
Exit clauses and contract levers
Exit planning is strengthened by clear contractual clauses that reflect social care risk, such as:
- Defined notice periods and termination rights for repeated failures
- Obligations to support migration and data export within set timescales
- Clear statements on data ownership and post-termination access
- Requirements for continuity support during transition
These levers reduce dependency risk and protect providers during service disruption.
Operational example 3: Managing supplier acquisition and safeguarding continuity
Context: A supplier was acquired by a larger organisation. The provider feared product changes and reduced support for the social care market.
Support approach: The provider reviewed contract terms, requested written assurances on roadmap and support continuity, and performed an early-stage data export test to validate portability.
Day-to-day delivery: Governance meetings reviewed supplier updates monthly. A contingency plan was maintained, including identified alternative suppliers and migration steps if conditions deteriorated.
How effectiveness is evidenced: The provider maintained oversight and was able to evidence proactive risk governance, rather than waiting until a crisis forced rushed change.
Why good exit planning improves procurement outcomes
When providers demonstrate strong exit planning and due diligence, they contract from a position of strength. They can negotiate clearer terms, demand higher standards and reduce long-term risk. It also supports inspection readiness by demonstrating control over records and continuity.
In practice, digital supplier governance is not only about choosing the right system today, but ensuring the organisation can change safely tomorrow if required.