This briefing sets out the current national policy landscape in England that supports, shapes or affects digital innovation in adult social care. It brings together live legislation, active government and NHS programmes, and Bills currently progressing through Parliament. Digital working, safe data use and interoperability are now treated as core infrastructure for adult social care, not optional innovation.
The briefing is part of our Digital Care in Focus series which, in January 2026, focused on innovation.
1. Digital foundations and what good looks like
Digital working in adult social care: what good looks like for local authorities and care providers sets out a shared national view of digital maturity in adult social care, covering digital care records, data quality, interoperability, information governance, workforce capability and leadership.
Health and Care Act 2022 – information standards (section 95) strengthens the ability of government to set or mandate information standards across health and adult social care.
Digitising Social Care programme supports adoption and effective use of digital social care records as essential infrastructure.
2. Interoperability, shared records and data infrastructure
Connecting Care Records Programme aims to ensure authorised professionals can access relevant information across health and care settings.
Shared care records are local solutions that bring together information from multiple health and care organisations.
NHS Federated Data Platform supports operational coordination and analytics across integrated care systems.
Virtual wards operational framework sets expectations for digitally supported care at home, including care homes.
3. Social Care Interoperability Platform (SCIP)
Social Care Interoperability Platform (SCIP) is a national interoperability initiative being developed through the Digitising Social Care programme to enable scalable, secure data sharing.
4. Data law reform, AI and analytics
Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 reforms the UK data governance framework and is being commenced in stages from August 2025.
AI regulation: a pro‑innovation approach sets the UK’s principles‑based approach to AI governance.
Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard encourages transparency about the use of algorithmic systems in the public sector.
5. Cyber security and resilience
Cyber security strategy for health and social care: 2023 to 2030 frames cyber resilience as foundational to safe digital innovation across health and adult social care.
Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill is progressing through Parliament and aims to strengthen cyber resilience across essential services and supply chains.
6. What is happening next and what to watch
Key developments to watch include staged commencement of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, progress of the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, early delivery milestones for the Social Care Interoperability Platform, continued rollout of shared care records, expansion of virtual wards, and increasing use of AI‑enabled tools across health and care systems.
Published 29 January 2026
