Integrated Adults and Social Care Services and Children's Social Care Technology Enabled Care (TEC) Statement of Purpose 2025 - 2028

This statement of purpose has been put together within the context of local and national policies including our Corporate Plan 2023-2028.

Key pledges:

• putting people and families at the heart of everything we do
• tackling inequalities so people have a fair chance
• supporting our communities to support themselves and each other
• investing in our economy to provide sustainable opportunities for employment, innovation and growth
• working together and fighting for a better future for Gateshead

All underpinned by:

• good customer service
• sound financial planning
• inclusivity
• good governance
• continuous improvement
• culture

It also aligns closely with the vision set out in the Integrated Adults and Social Care Services - Living thriving lives strategy: 'To work with our communities to enable residents to live thriving lives, be independent and individual, support themselves and each other, and access personalised quality support when they need it.' 

Also linking to Our vision for Children and young people in Gateshead for them to 'enjoy their childhood and have the opportunity to thrive and be their best selves.'

We recognise that people living in their own home and feeling safe is linked to overall wellbeing and improved mental health.  Our Gateshead residents have a range of needs and priorities, and we want to support them to live as independently as possible and ensure there is a choice of appropriate Technology Enabled Care (TEC) available to help people achieve this.

Our ambition in Gateshead in respect of Technology Enabled Care is to empower individuals to live healthier and more independent lives, whilst also improving the efficiency and effectiveness of care delivery. We want to connect TEC into the heart of our services; we want to see a role for TEC whenever we design and develop services.  Our strategic intention is to use the benefits of modern technology to create an experience for people which is flexible, enabling, responsive and reassuring. 

This involves integrating technology into care pathways to support remote monitoring, personalised care plans and preventative measures.  Ultimately out goal is to enable people to manage their own health, reduce reliance on traditional services and improve quality of life.  To this end, TEC must be co-produced, inclusive and fully integrated into our Gateshead approach.

This statement promotes the use of enabling technology to support people of all ages to live safely and independently in their own homes and communities for longer by reducing or managing risks. (The word 'people' will be used throughout this statement, in this context it refers to children, young people and adults).

Gateshead aims to foster a strong, resilient and thriving community where residents can connect with each other, access the support they need and contribute to the overall health and wellbeing of the borough, reducing inequalities. (Building blocks of health).

To deliver on our vision and inform the work that we will do and the decisions that we will make, we will seek to deliver on four key ambitions:

• Ambition 1 - Develop a TEC First Culture
  We will upskill and empower our workforce to use Technology Enabled Care (TEC) to prevent crises, support informed decisions, and embed TEC into assessments, planning, and reviews. This ensures care is cost-effective, personalised, and promotes independence—while offering reassurance to families and carers through positive outcomes and safe risk-taking.
• Ambition 2 - Improve care co-ordination through stronger partnerships
  We will adopt a fully collaborative approach, working closely with Health, Housing, Social Care Providers, and people who draw on care and support—along with their carers and families. This proactive and preventative model will enable us to share knowledge, learn from each other, and enhance the quality and consistency of the support we provide.
• Ambition 3 - Deliver an adaptive and empowering TEC offer
  We will develop a more innovative, person-centred TEC offer that enables strengths-based solutions tailored to individual needs. This will promote self-care, support independence, and help people stay safe, healthy, and at home for longer.
• Ambition 4 - Use TEC to reduce health inequalities and promote equity
  We will ensure TEC solutions are inclusive and accessible to all, improving access to information and resources, enhancing engagement, and enabling more personalised care and support. Our focus will be on using TEC to address disparities and promote fairer health outcomes across Gateshead.

To achieve these ambitions and ensure delivery of sustainable, measurable benefits to the health and social care system the following supporting systems and structures must be in place:

• Clear Vision and Leadership - Position TEC as a strategic enabler across all council activity - supporting those receiving care, promoting self-service, and helping people find solutions that meet their needs. This aligns with prevention and early intervention goals in the Integrated Adults and Social Care Strategy 2023, and supports strong, visible leadership across Adults and Children's Services.
• Awareness of Technology Enabled Care across the whole council, including as a mandatory element within all induction training for all social care staff (aligning to the five pillars of the Workforce Strategy 2022-25).
• Implementation of a benefits realisation approach, with measurement and monitoring owned by the service, with support provided by Finance and Performance - helping to demonstrate quantitative and qualitative benefits at individual, service and system level (supporting the delivery of the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS)).
• Outcomes focused TEC referral embedded into the Mosaic system, based on outcomes, risks and impact - empowering the workforce to think TEC first, understand how it can support people and align TEC to a strengths-based approach.
• Implement the Digital transition roadmap across devices and delivering a fully digital alarm receiving centre to ensure all people can be supported by digital TEC ahead of the January 2027 deadline.
• Seek to position Gateshead Council at the forefront of TEC development and delivery across the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS) and the North-East ADASS region - delivering a more proactive approach, driven by data insights and exploring the opportunities for AI and innovation in a 'test and learn' environment.
• Continue to push the boundaries of what TEC can achieve in Gateshead via the development and funding of TEC Test & Learn pilots in innovative and ground-breaking ways.
• Ensure that Digital Inclusion is considered when thinking about TEC solutions for Gateshead residents including digital poverty and supporting care experienced young people. Work together with partners to address barriers including connectivity, access to devices and digital skills.

Technology is a huge part of modern-day life which continues to develop and grow daily. Increasing and improving the application of TEC in Gateshead will allow for improved outcomes for people, while also alleviating some of the pressures on Gateshead's health, housing and social care systems and resources. TEC must be embedded within the delivery of care and support as an all-age approach to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for the population of Gateshead.

The successful adoption of this TEC Statement of Purpose, and implementation of the Commitments and Delivery Plan, which sits alongside this statement, will aid in enhancing the quality and efficiency of care provision in Gateshead, enable the promotion of independence and the reduction in admissions to hospital and 24-hour care settings. It will enhance the offer of person-centred support by ensuring that TEC is accessible, user-friendly, and appropriately tailored to the needs of the people using it.