Measuring Digital Access to Health Services as Social Value in Adult Social Care
Digital access to health services is a practical social value issue because more health communication now happens through online portals, text reminders, video appointments, digital prescriptions and remote follow-up. Providers working within the Social Value Knowledge Hub need to evidence how they support people to access digital health routes without losing choice, consent or understanding.
Strong providers use social value measurement and reporting to evidence access outcomes, while linking digital health support to social value policy and national priorities such as reducing health inequalities, prevention, inclusion, independence and effective public service access.
Digital health access should not depend on whether someone can manage technology alone. Strong evidence shows how services support understanding, appointment preparation, follow-up and safer communication.
What Digital Health Access Means
Digital health access means supporting people to use online or technology-enabled routes into health care. In adult social care, this may include GP portals, NHS app support, text reminders, video consultations, online prescriptions, appointment booking, test result notifications and digital follow-up instructions.
The social value comes from reducing exclusion. Strong providers demonstrate that digital health systems do not become another barrier for people with communication needs, anxiety, cognitive impairment, sensory needs or limited digital confidence.
Why It Matters in Real Services
Digital health access can prevent missed appointments, delayed medication reviews and avoidable escalation. It can also help people receive information faster and prepare more confidently.
If support is weak, people may miss messages, misunderstand instructions, share information unsafely or become dependent on staff without clear consent. Strong services evidence how digital health support protects rights and improves outcomes.
What Good Looks Like
Strong services evidence digital health access through consent, communication support, accessible explanation, appointment preparation, follow-up tracking, safeguarding awareness and governance.
Providers should be able to evidence the access barrier, the support provided, the health outcome and the learning from any missed or delayed contact. This creates a clear line of sight from digital support to social value impact.
Operational Example 1: Supporting GP Portal Access
Context: A person in supported living was missing GP messages because they were sent through an online portal. The person could read some messages but struggled to understand appointment actions and medication updates.
Support approach: The provider agreed a consent-based support plan for checking portal messages, explaining content and recording follow-up actions.
Five practical steps:
- Identify which digital health messages are being missed or misunderstood.
- Confirm consent and boundaries for staff support with health information.
- Use accessible explanations so the person understands what action is needed.
- Record follow-up tasks clearly in the care plan or daily notes.
- Review appointment attendance, medication follow-up and confidence.
Day-to-day delivery detail: Staff supported the person to open messages, read them at a calm time and decide what help they wanted. Managers checked that staff were supporting understanding rather than taking over control.
How effectiveness was evidenced: The provider evidenced fewer missed messages, clearer follow-up records, improved appointment attendance and greater confidence using digital health communication.
Deepening the Digital Health Evidence Pathway
Digital health evidence is strongest when it shows improved access, prevention and understanding. Providers should avoid counting app use or video appointments without showing whether people received the right support and outcomes improved.
Guidance on measuring social value outcomes in adult social care reinforces the need to connect activity with impact. Digital health access evidence strengthens this by showing whether digital routes reduce exclusion and support earlier intervention.
Operational Example 2: Preparing for Video Health Appointments
Context: A residential service supported people to attend video appointments, but staff noticed that some appointments were rushed because information, questions and privacy arrangements were not prepared in advance.
Support approach: The provider introduced a pre-appointment preparation routine covering consent, environment, communication support and follow-up recording.
Five practical steps:
- Confirm the appointment purpose, consent and who should be present.
- Prepare questions with the person using their preferred communication method.
- Check privacy, device connection and accessibility before the appointment.
- Record advice, actions and any follow-up needed immediately afterwards.
- Review whether the person understood the outcome and felt involved.
Day-to-day delivery detail: Staff helped people choose a quiet space, prepare communication aids and decide whether staff should stay. Follow-up instructions were recorded before shift end.
How effectiveness was evidenced: The provider evidenced clearer appointment outcomes, fewer missed follow-up actions, stronger involvement and improved confidence among staff and people supported.
Systems, Workforce and Consistency
Teams apply digital health support well when staff understand consent, privacy, communication needs and escalation. Digital access should be built into support planning rather than handled informally by whichever staff member is available.
Supervision should review missed appointments, digital messages, health follow-up, staff confidence and any privacy concerns. Handovers should include health actions where timing matters. Managers should check that digital support is consistent across shifts and does not depend on one confident digital user.
This also supports commissioner confidence. Wider explanation of social value in UK public sector commissioning shows why providers need evidence that digital innovation improves access, prevention and equity rather than simply moving services online.
Operational Example 3: Reducing Missed Screening Reminders
Context: A community support provider found that several people had not acted on digital screening reminders because text messages were unclear, unexpected or anxiety-provoking.
Support approach: The provider introduced a health access review process to identify digital reminders, explain options and support informed decisions.
Five practical steps:
- Identify repeated missed screening, review or follow-up reminders.
- Check whether digital format, anxiety or communication barriers are contributing.
- Support the person to understand choices, benefits and next steps.
- Record decisions, consent and any agreed appointment support.
- Review uptake, confidence, follow-up completion and unresolved barriers.
Day-to-day delivery detail: Staff used plain language, visual prompts and reassurance to explain reminders. Managers checked that staff were supporting informed choice, not pressuring attendance.
How effectiveness was evidenced: The provider evidenced improved screening follow-up, clearer consent records, reduced anxiety and stronger health access planning.
Governance and Evidence
Governance gives digital health access evidence credibility. Providers should maintain an audit trail showing consent, communication needs, support actions, appointment outcomes, missed-contact review and learning.
Data may include fewer missed appointments, completed follow-up actions, improved screening uptake, reduced avoidable escalation, clearer health records and improved confidence. Qualitative evidence explains understanding, reassurance, involvement, dignity and reduced exclusion.
Strong services demonstrate how digital health evidence informs care planning, supervision, safeguarding, commissioner reporting, quality assurance and board oversight.
Commissioner and CQC Expectations
Commissioners expect providers to evidence reduced health inequality, prevention and access to timely support. Digital health access evidence helps show that providers support people to benefit from modern health systems.
CQC expectations focus on safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led care. Digital health access supports this when leaders protect consent, privacy, communication and timely follow-up.
Common Pitfalls
- Assuming digital health systems are accessible to everyone.
- Supporting portals or apps without clear consent.
- Failing to prepare people for video appointments.
- Recording appointment attendance without follow-up outcomes.
- Allowing staff to manage accounts informally without governance.
- Reporting digital access without showing reduced exclusion or improved health outcomes.
Conclusion
Measuring digital access to health services as social value in adult social care means showing how providers help people understand, use and benefit from online health routes safely. Strong providers demonstrate this through consent, accessible support, appointment preparation, follow-up tracking, outcome evidence and governance. When evidence is credible, digital health access becomes a strong social value measure because it shows how adult social care can reduce exclusion, support prevention and improve access to essential services.