Middlesbrough Council has given care workers tablet PCs that support electronic data sharing to improve its services.

The council’s social care department has implemented electronic single assessment process (Sap) technology from Liquidlogic to enable data sharing across all health and social care agencies in the district.

‘The project is about better communication,’ said Fred Taylor, head of Sap at Middlesbrough Social Services. ‘Every public enquiry into a care problem has highlighted a fault around communication.’

The technology interfaces with the council’s Swift social care system, which enables automatic updates when information is entered into either system and ensures all health and social care workers have access to an individual’s records.

Care workers can download a health check form and case histories direct to their tablet PC, take forms with them on visits, and enter notes remotely for automatic updates. If someone is referred to hospital, doctors, nurses and carers can access and update case notes.

Taylor says unifying reporting and communication procedures between the agencies has made life much easier.

‘Since implementing Sap we can add valuable rich text about a person, and practitioners have access to a wider communications network,’ he said.

‘Not having to enter information twice is more efficient, while practitioners feel invested in and are hooked up to email.’