Minister of State for Care to visit leading care startup, Elder. The care tech platform is currently spearheading the UK’s first Campaign to End ‘Bed Blocking’.
Earlier this year Elder was named the UK’s third fastest growing, as it rolled out its home-based alternative to residential care.
The visit coincides with a recent announcement by Rt Hon. Matt Hancock MP, the newly appointed Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, where he laid out a vision for a ‘tech-driven’ system.
Upon announcing the visit, Elder CEO, Pete Dowds, said:
‘Following the Health Secretary’s bold new vision, it’s an amazing opportunity for the Minister to see a company at the very forefront of care tech.
We want to show her how ‘startup thinking’ can be deployed to reduce delayed transfers, to reduce readmissions, to fundamentally recalibrate how care for the elderly is delivered in this country.’
The Government has made its intent clear. By making the UK a world leader in care and health tech, we can release the resources required for our NHS to rise to its biggest challenges.’
Ahead of the forthcoming green paper, we hope her visit serves as an inspiration to see how Matt Hancock’s vision for a tech-driven system can be made a reality.’
In a speech at the 2018 NHS expo, the Rt Hon. Matt Hancock MP said:
‘We must put in place a framework that allows innovators and technology companies to thrive – to meet user needs – and most importantly to support the uptake and adoption of the best of those services.
‘… We need to make it easy for anyone – software developer in a startup or clinician with a good idea – to see how to get a good idea off the ground.’
While visiting Elder’s headquarters, the Minister will be meeting Hamish Pringle and Felicity Swan, two of the artists participating in the #endbedblocking campaign. She will also have an opportunity to meet live-in care professionals and the families of those receiving care.
