Evidencing Social Value Through Reducing Digital Exclusion in Adult Social Care

Reducing digital exclusion is an important part of social value in adult social care because many everyday services, appointments and support routes now expect some level of digital access. Providers working within the Social Value Knowledge Hub need to show how they help people, carers and staff use digital routes safely, confidently and meaningfully.

Strong providers use social value measurement and reporting to evidence digital access outcomes, while connecting this work to social value policy and national priorities such as reducing inequality, improving access, prevention and inclusion.

Digital exclusion evidence should not simply count devices, logins or online sessions. It should show whether people could use digital support to access something that mattered, such as health advice, family contact, information, benefits support, community activity or staff communication.

What Reducing Digital Exclusion Means

Reducing digital exclusion means identifying and addressing barriers that stop people benefiting from digital services. These barriers may include lack of devices, poor internet access, low confidence, sensory needs, cognitive impairment, language barriers, fear of scams, inaccessible platforms or staff uncertainty about how to support safely.

The social value comes from improved access and reduced inequality. When digital barriers are reduced, people may attend appointments more easily, stay connected with family, understand information sooner, manage routines more independently or access community support that would otherwise be out of reach.

Why It Matters in Real Services

Digital exclusion can create hidden disadvantage. A person may miss online appointment letters, avoid video consultations, rely on others to read messages, or be unable to access local support because booking systems are online.

There are also safeguarding risks. People may share passwords, respond to scams, feel pressured by others or become confused by digital communication. Strong social value reporting should show how providers support access without exposing people to avoidable risk.

What Good Looks Like

Strong services demonstrate reduced digital exclusion through assessment, accessible support, consent, safeguarding awareness, staff competence, outcome review and governance. They do not assume digital access is suitable for everyone, and they keep non-digital alternatives visible where needed.

Providers should be able to evidence barriers identified, support delivered, digital confidence gained, safeguarding controls, appointment access, family contact, staff learning and governance oversight. This creates a clear line of sight from support model to action to outcome.

Operational Example 1: Supporting Online Health Access

Context: A home care provider supported people who were missing routine health updates because GP and hospital communications were increasingly online. Some people could not access patient portals or video appointments without help.

Support approach: The provider introduced a digital health access support process, with clear boundaries around consent, privacy, passwords and staff role limitations.

Five practical steps:

1. Identify people who face digital barriers to appointments, messages or health information.
2. Check consent, privacy needs and whether digital access is appropriate.
3. Support practical preparation without taking control of personal accounts.
4. Record appointment attendance, follow-up actions and any unresolved barriers.
5. Review whether digital support improved access, confidence and health follow-through.

Day-to-day delivery detail: Staff helped people understand appointment links, prepare questions, check hearing or visual needs and record follow-up actions after appointments. Supervisors checked that staff did not store passwords or handle confidential information beyond their role.

How effectiveness was evidenced: The provider evidenced fewer missed digital appointments, clearer follow-up actions, improved confidence and better family reassurance. This demonstrated social value through health access, prevention and reduced inequality.

Deepening the Digital Inclusion Evidence Pathway

Digital exclusion evidence needs to show more than availability. A person may have a device but still be excluded if they cannot understand, trust or use it safely. Providers should evidence confidence, accessibility and outcomes.

Guidance on measuring social value outcomes in adult social care reinforces the need to connect support activity with practical impact. In digital exclusion work, this means showing how access barriers were reduced and what changed as a result.

Operational Example 2: Helping Carers Use Digital Care Updates

Context: A residential care provider introduced digital family updates, but some relatives did not use the system because they lacked confidence, preferred phone contact or were unsure what information would be shared.

Support approach: The provider offered flexible digital support for families while keeping alternative communication routes available. Staff explained the system, privacy arrangements and how relatives could raise concerns.

Five practical steps:

1. Identify families who are not accessing digital updates and ask what barrier exists.
2. Explain privacy, consent and the purpose of digital communication clearly.
3. Offer support to use the system without removing non-digital contact options.
4. Track whether families receive updates, respond and feel better informed.
5. Review whether digital communication improves reassurance and relationship quality.

Day-to-day delivery detail: Staff supported relatives by phone during first use, checked preferred update frequency and recorded whether families still needed calls, letters or face-to-face discussion for sensitive matters.

How effectiveness was evidenced: The provider evidenced improved family engagement, fewer repeated information requests, stronger reassurance and better feedback about communication. This showed social value through inclusion, confidence and relationship continuity.

Systems, Workforce and Consistency

Teams reduce digital exclusion well when staff understand both digital opportunity and digital risk. Staff should know how to support access, protect privacy, recognise scams, record outcomes and avoid taking over decisions.

Supervision should explore whether staff are confident supporting digital access safely. Handovers should include relevant digital barriers, appointment actions and family communication preferences. Managers should audit whether digital support is consistent across services and whether people without confidence are being excluded.

This also supports commissioner confidence. Wider explanation of social value in public sector commissioning shows why providers need evidence that digital approaches reduce inequality rather than simply modernise systems.

Operational Example 3: Digital Confidence for Staff Records and Escalation

Context: A community care provider found that some care workers lacked confidence using digital care records. This led to delayed notes, weaker escalation and inconsistent evidence of outcomes.

Support approach: The provider treated staff digital confidence as part of social value because better records improved safety, continuity and evidence quality. Peer champions and short practice sessions were introduced.

Five practical steps:

1. Identify where digital confidence affects record quality, timeliness or escalation.
2. Provide practical learning in small, role-specific sessions.
3. Use peer champions so staff can ask questions without embarrassment.
4. Audit notes, alerts and follow-up actions after support is provided.
5. Review whether better digital confidence improves governance and care continuity.

Day-to-day delivery detail: Staff practised recording outcomes, uploading concerns, using alerts and completing handover notes. Supervisors reviewed whether records became clearer, timelier and more useful for decision-making.

How effectiveness was evidenced: The provider evidenced improved note completion, faster escalation, fewer missing records and greater staff confidence. This demonstrated social value through workforce inclusion, safer systems and stronger governance.

Governance and Evidence

Governance gives digital exclusion evidence credibility. Providers should maintain an audit trail showing barriers identified, support delivered, risks managed, outcomes reviewed and learning applied.

Data may show digital appointment attendance, family engagement, staff record quality, reduced missed follow-up, improved confidence or fewer delayed escalations. Qualitative evidence explains reassurance, dignity, independence, accessibility and staff learning.

Strong services demonstrate how digital exclusion evidence informs training, safeguarding, accessibility, communication standards, care planning and commissioner reporting. This creates a clear line of sight from support model to action to outcome.

Commissioner and CQC Expectations

Commissioners expect providers to evidence digital exclusion work because digital access affects equality, prevention, service efficiency and public value. They want to see practical benefit, not only investment in systems.

CQC expectations focus on safe, effective, responsive and well-led care. Digital exclusion evidence supports this when it shows that people are involved, privacy is protected, staff are competent and leaders understand who may be disadvantaged by digital routes.

Common Pitfalls

• Counting devices or systems without showing improved access or outcomes.
• Assuming digital access is suitable for everyone.
• Ignoring privacy, consent, password and scam risks.
• Removing non-digital options too quickly.
• Supporting people to go online without checking understanding or confidence.
• Reporting digital inclusion without governance review.

Conclusion

Evidencing social value through reducing digital exclusion in adult social care means showing how people, carers and staff gain safer, fairer access to digital support where it improves outcomes. Strong providers demonstrate this through practical assessment, accessible support, safeguarding awareness, reliable records and governance that links digital inclusion to reduced inequality. When evidence is strong, social value becomes visible in people who are more connected, better informed and less excluded from modern services.

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