This briefing presents a rapid, narrative review of selected evidence published between 2023 and 2025 on the use of digital technology and data in adult social care. It is not a comprehensive review of all available literature.
The review draws on:
- UK peer-reviewed research
- Independent and government-commissioned evaluations
- Practice-based evidence where formal evaluation is still emerging
Given the pace at which digital technology is developing and being adopted in adult social care, it is important to recognise that practice is often ahead of research. Many digital tools are already in everyday use, while robust outcome evaluations are still ongoing or forthcoming. This briefing therefore considers research evidence alongside real-world implementation experience.
Overview
Across the research and evaluation evidence reviewed, a consistent picture emerges. Digital technology can improve outcomes in adult social care, but impact depends less on the technology itself and more on how it is used.
The strongest evidence relates to digital approaches that:
- Support professional judgement rather than replace it
- Enable earlier identification of risk and deterioration
- Improve information flow between people, teams and organisations
- Are embedded into everyday care practice and processes
Overall, the evidence suggests that digital transformation in adult social care is as much about relationships, workflows and trust as it is about tools.
Using data to support earlier decisions
Some of the clearest outcome evidence comes from care homes using digital tools to capture structured observations and share them with clinical services.
A large UK retrospective cohort study found that this approach was associated with reductions in emergency department attendances, emergency hospital admissions and length of hospital stay (The impact of digital technology in care homes on unplanned secondary care usage and costs, Garner et al., 2024). The study linked care home data with routinely collected NHS hospital data, strengthening confidence in the findings.
Crucially, the benefits were not driven by data collection alone. Impact depended on clear escalation pathways and remote clinical triage, highlighting the importance of combining digital data with timely professional decision-making.
These findings are reinforced by a practice-focused NIHR Evidence summary (Care home app reduced residents’ hospital admissions, NIHR, 2024).
Falls prevention
Falls prevention is the area where research evidence and real-world practice align most clearly.
Peer-reviewed studies and independent evaluations consistently report that digitally supported falls prevention is associated with:
- Fewer falls
- Fewer injurious falls
- Reduced falls-related ambulance call-outs and emergency attendances
A real-world validation study across 32 care homes reported significantly fewer falls per occupied bed day in homes using a multifactorial digital intervention (Reducing care home falls: real-world data validation of a multifactorial digital application, Neiva Ganga et al., 2023).
An independent evaluation of sensor-based monitoring also found statistically significant reductions in falls, alongside reductions in unnecessary staff turning checks (Vitalerter independent real-world evaluation, Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria, 2023).
Practice-based evidence published by the Digital Care Hub reflects these findings. One care home reported a 50% reduction in falls during a six-month trial of proactive sensor technology (Preventing falls proactively: Dormy Care’s journey with Sensio RoomMate, Digital Care Hub, 2023).
Supporting independence and early intervention at home
Evidence on digital technologies supporting independence at home is promising but less developed.
Narrative and qualitative evidence indicates that non-intrusive monitoring technologies can help families and carers notice changes in daily routines, providing reassurance while enabling people to remain independent for longer (Sensor-based technology supporting independence: when Rosalie met Lilli, Digital Care Hub, 2023).
However, robust outcome studies measuring impacts on hospital use, escalation of care or quality of life remain limited. This reflects a wider pattern in adult social care, where adoption has moved faster than evaluation, particularly in people’s own homes.
Digital care planning
One of the clearest examples of routine care data making a measurable difference comes from domiciliary care.
A UK retrospective cohort study found that introducing digital care planning was associated with a substantial reduction in hospitalisation within the first 30 days of care (A retrospective cohort study evaluating the association between implementation of a digital care plan and hospitalisation rates, Windle et al., 2023).
Shared records and system-level information flow
Evidence on shared records in adult social care largely comes from service-level and programme evaluations.
A London pilot enabling care homes to access shared health records reported reduced time spent chasing information, better-informed care decisions and smoother hospital discharges (London Care Record access for care homes pilot, OneLondon, 2023).
Digitising social care records
National programmes to digitise social care records have progressed rapidly. Around 80% of CQC-registered providers now use digital social care records, with sector narratives highlighting improvements in information quality, continuity of care and administrative efficiency (Digital social care records adoption update, SCIE, 2024; Digital revolution in care saves millions of admin hours, Department of Health and Social Care, 2025).
Co-production as a foundation
A national study of innovation in adult social care found that digital innovation is far more likely to succeed when it is co-produced with people drawing on care, unpaid carers and frontline staff (Shaping change together: co-producing innovation in social care, SCIE, 2025).
AI, automation and digital productivity
Research suggests AI could reduce routine administrative work and support care planning, but adoption remains limited due to ethical concerns, unclear accountability and workforce readiness (Productivity and responsible AI in adult social care, The Productivity Institute, 2025).
Barriers and enablers
Common barriers include workforce confidence, governance uncertainty, digital exclusion and fragmented data. Key enablers include strong digital foundations, co-production, clear ethical frameworks, workforce support and collaboration across the system.
Implications for adult social care providers and commissioners
The evidence highlights where digital approaches are most likely to make a meaningful difference:
- Focus on real risks such as falls and deterioration
- Choose technology that supports staff judgement
- Start with areas where evidence is strongest
- Use digital care planning actively, not just for compliance
- Treat shared records as foundations, not quick fixes
- Invest in implementation, not just procurement
- Keep learning, as practice continues to move faster than research
Conclusions
This rapid review shows that digital technology and data use can improve outcomes in adult social care, but impact is uneven and context-dependent.
The strongest evidence relates to:
- Falls prevention
- Remote clinical support using structured care data
- Digital care planning in domiciliary care
Across all areas, the evidence points to a consistent conclusion: digital tools are most effective when they help people work better together.
References
Department of Health and Social Care (2025) Digital revolution in care saves millions of admin hours.
Digital Care Hub (2023) Preventing falls proactively: Dormy Care’s journey with Sensio RoomMate.
Digital Care Hub (2023) Sensor-based technology supporting independence: when Rosalie met Lilli.
Garner, R. et al. (2024) The impact of digital technology in care homes on unplanned secondary care usage and costs. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association.
Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria (2023) Vitalerter independent real-world evaluation.
National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) (2024) Care home app reduced residents’ hospital admissions.
National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) (2023) DECIDE: Digitally Enabled Care in Diverse Environments.
Neiva Ganga, M. et al. (2023) Reducing care home falls: real-world data validation of a multifactorial digital application. BMC Geriatrics.
OneLondon (2023) London Care Record access for care homes pilot.
Policy Innovation Research Unit (PIRU) (ongoing) Evaluation of the adult social care technology fund.
Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) (2024) Digital social care records adoption update.
Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) (2025) Shaping change together: co-producing innovation in social care.
The King’s Fund (2023) The reality of – and potential for – digitally enabled care in the community.
The Productivity Institute (2025) Productivity and responsible AI in adult social care.
Windle, K. et al. (2023) A retrospective cohort study evaluating the association between implementation of a digital care plan and hospitalisation rates. Home Health Care Services Quarterly.
