The Analogue to Digital Transition: An Opportunity to Transform Adult Social Care
By Richard Keyse
By the end of January 2027, the UK's Communications infrastructure will complete its transition to digital networks. The analogue to digital transition is a crucial opportunity to implement impactful and much needed change to Adult Social Care, at scale, across the UK, However, this significant shift to digital Tech Enabled Care solutions, and its far-reaching implications, is currently being underestimated and overlooked by many leaders within the care sector.
TSA surveys state that 1.8 million-2.0 million vulnerable individuals relied on analogue telecare devices for safety and well-being. Over the past two years, local authorities have begun to transition their service users to digital. Having spoken to over 100 local authorities in the past 18 months, the vast majority of digital upgrades have been completed by installing digital versions of the previously analogue dispersed alarm units. Besides providing a digital connection, the technologies currently being installed at scale do not offer any technological advancements to improve the quality of care or better outcomes.
One thing is clear: the strategic importance and potential of the digital switch is being underestimated, but all is not lost. With over 800,000 elderly or vulnerable people yet to be transitioned to digital, the UK care sector can deliver a wholesale shift to better, smarter, proactive and preventative led care very soon.
Many TEC solution providers have designed their TEC units utilising SIM’s for their connectivity to the Alarm Receiving Centres (ARCS). A new challenge has recently been exposed.
The 3G Mobile Networks will all be decommissioned this year. but critically Virgin Media O2 (one of the three 2G Mobile Network Operators) have advised they are bringing forward their decommissioning to October 2025. A significant proportion of the TEC units already deployed rely on 2G or 3G networks meaning these will also need to be replaced this year. Early estimates indicate that these could number in the several 100,000’s.
Why Prevention Must Be at the Core of Social Care
The UK’s social care crisis is putting immense pressure on the NHS, with demand far outstripping capacity. To alleviate this, we must shift from reactive to proactive and preventative solutions —intervening earlier to keep people healthier and independent for longer. Along with providing greater care in the community, this aligns with 2 out of 3 Wes Streeting’s key pillars for transforming healthcare.
Digital telecare can play a pivotal role here, but only if we recognise the strategic value of capturing and utilising data in the provision of care. Installing digital solutions isn’t just an operational tick-box exercise, it’s our chance to deliver better care outcomes and control care spending. To achieve this, however, we must first address why the transition is being overlooked.
Why Is the Analogue-to-Digital Switchover Being Overlooked by Directors of ASC?
The current challenges and pressures facing Directors of Adult Social Care are immense, and can distract from the transformative potential of the digital switchover:
- Overwhelming Workloads and Resource & Budget Pressures
Directors of Adult Social Care and their teams are under immense strain, juggling stretched resources, growing caseloads, and huge budgetary constraints. These immediate pressures make it difficult to focus on long-term, strategic change. Additionally, teams have limited bandwidth to find and understand newer, data-led, transformative technology enabled care solutions.
- Limited Strategic Oversight in TEC Management
Technology Enabled Care (TEC) managers are typically not empowered to change the scope of the TEC provision and to significantly increase their budgets to introduce transformative change. Equally Directors of ASC are often not aware of the immense opportunities and benefits of embedding modern digital technologies in their normal provision of care.
As such the huge opportunity that exists can potentially “fall down the crack” between the two
- Silos and Lack of Collaboration
Currently Telecare, Adult / Children’s Social care and the NHS health typically operate in quite separate siloes with different budget lines, goals, technologies and resources.
Integrated Care Boards were established to eliminate or reduce the size of the hurdles between these but effective change requires the combined expertise of Directors of Adult Social Care, TEC managers and NHS commissioners. Without collaboration, the opportunity to leverage many of the benefits resulting from digital solutions for proactive and preventive care is likely to be missed.
Rethinking Telecare: Moving Beyond Digital Versions of Analogue Tools
Switching to digital versions of analogue tools is not enough. These tools alone won’t provide the insights needed to deliver truly preventative care. For instance, traditional telecare solutions typically function as reactive alarms. While vital, they do not offer data-driven insights that could help anticipate risks or reassess care needs in real time.
Here’s how embracing better TEC (technology enabled care) solutions can change the game:
- Remote Monitoring and Data Insights
Advanced digital solutions, like Andi by 2iC-Care, can capture and interpret a wealth of data—such as activity levels, vital signs, and environmental conditions—enabling earlier interventions to prevent health, environment or wellbeing deterioration.
- Personalised and Proactive Care Packages
By leveraging richer data, care packages can be tailored and dynamically updated based on individual needs. This ensures that interventions happen at the right time, keeping individuals healthier and more independent.
- Integration Across Services
Modern TEC solutions can integrate with broader health and social care systems, creating a more connected approach to care. This not only improves outcomes but also reduces duplication and inefficiencies.
Seizing the strategic opportunity
The analogue to digital transition isn’t just a technical upgrade—it’s an opportunity to rethink how we care for vulnerable individuals in our society. By prioritising prevention, leveraging smarter technology enabled care solutions, and fostering collaboration between Directors of Adult Social Care and operational TEC teams, we can transform care delivery at scale.
The clock is ticking, but there’s still time to make this transition count. Speak to 2iC-Care about how Andi can help you to transition to digital and future-proof your care service. Let’s not settle for keeping the lights on when we have the chance to build a brighter, more sustainable future for adult social care.