Our Digital Care in Focus theme for February 2026 is ‘interoperability’.
Put simply, this is the ability to share and access information across multiple organisations and digital systems.
Throughout the month, we will be sharing insights on what interoperability means for social care. Take a look, and please share your thoughts on social media, or contact us.
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Articles
What does ‘interoperability’ mean in social care tech?
It is not about replacing every system or forcing everything into one platform. It is about enabling different systems, from different suppliers, to work together using shared standards so information can flow where it is needed.
Interoperability: the key to personalisation? – Digital Care Insights – LinkedIn newsletter
Ultimately, interoperability is about delivering better, more personalised care. When all parties involved understand a person’s needs, preferences and history, support becomes more coordinated and responsive. Interoperability is the enabler that helps that understanding travel with the person, rather than being lost between services. And that is why this work continues to matter.
Interoperability: policy direction
Interoperability — the ability of systems to exchange, understand and use information — is becoming a central feature of health and care policy in England. For adult social care, it sits at the intersection of digital transformation, integrated care and information governance. As part of our Digital Care in Focus series, we explore the policies that are impacting on interoperability of data systems across health and care.
Webinar
Interoperability in social care: from national policy to better care – 24 February 2026
This webinar explored what interoperability really means for adult social care — and what it will take to move from national policy ambition to practical improvements in care. The webinar combined national strategy, regional shared care record experience and a practical care technology case study, highlighting that interoperability is as much about culture and relationships as it is about systems and standards. View a recording, read a summary and download the presentations.
Briefings
Policy briefing: interoperability
This briefing outlines the key national policies, standards and programmes shaping interoperability, considers what they mean in practice, and looks ahead to what is likely to happen next.
Case study
Estonia’s interoperable health care records
Estonia has built a nationwide system in which clinical data from across the health service feeds into a shared electronic record. Clinicians can access up to date information wherever a person presents for care, and citizens can log in to see their own data.
