On 11 June 2024, the SOcial Care Rapid EvAluation TEam (SOCRATES) held an informative Lunch and Learn webinar, discussing into the preliminary findings of its first evaluation, "Evaluating the Implementation of Digital Social Care Records (DiSCRE)." This event was attended by 24 participants from involved research sites, Integrated Care Boards, and stakeholders in the sector, all eager to understand the impact and potential of digital records in social care settings.
Panel of Speakers
The webinar featured presentations from the SOCRATES team, each bringing unique insights into the evaluation process and preliminary findings:
- Joanne Westwood, Professor of Social Work Education at the University of Central Lancashire, opened the session with an introduction, setting the stage for a comprehensive discussion on digital social care records.
- Juliette Malley, Associate Professorial Research Fellow at the Care Policy and Evaluation Centre (CPEC) at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), provided an in-depth overview of the rapid evaluation process.
- Nicola Farrelly, Research Associate at the University of Central Lancashire, and Nicole Steils, Research Fellow at King’s College London, jointly presented the preliminary findings from the research. Their presentation highlighted significant trends and initial insights into the implementation and effectiveness of digital social care records.
- Martha Snow, Research Fellow at CPEC, LSE, concluded the presentations by discussing areas for further investigation, identifying critical gaps and future research directions.
About SOCRATES and the DiSCRE Study
SOCRATES (SOcial Care Rapid EvAluation TEam) is a collaborative effort comprising researchers and experts from the Care Policy and Evaluation Centre (CPEC) at LSE, the University of Central Lancashire, and King’s College London. The team was commissioned by the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) to undertake rapid evaluations of service developments and innovations in social care. Over the next five years, SOCRATES aims to rapidly evaluate new services and changes in social care for adults and children, providing timely and actionable insights to stakeholders across the sector.
Audience Engagement and Future Events
The webinar attracted a broad audience, reflecting the widespread interest in digital innovations within social care. Attendees engaged actively in the Q&A session, raising pertinent questions and contributing to a lively discussion.
SOCRATES plans to host additional webinars and events as part of their ongoing commitment to sharing knowledge and fostering dialogue within the social care community. For more information on upcoming events and to access the webinar recording, please visit contact Cpec.Socrates@lse.ac.uk.
Watch the webinar now (directs to YouTube).