Sheffield City Council is awarding a contract [standstill period] with a value of £8.9 million to Devon-based Taking Care Personal Alarms Limited as a strategic delivery partner to support its tech-enabled care service.
The delivery partner, the council states, will be involved in the transformation of the current service from a traditional telecare model to a “modern, digital, outcomes based and preventative service embedded across adult social care”.
Responsibilities will include leadership of system-wide transformation and cultural change, embedding of a TEC-first approach in adult health and social care, supporting innovation and interoperability, upskilling council employees to enable the transfer of key responsibilities in year three, and delivering measurable outcomes.
After a standstill period, the contract is expected to be signed around 24 July 2026, and is set to run to July 2031 in the first instance, with options to extend to 2033.
Earlier this year, Liverpool City Council highlighted its upcoming procurement for the provision of tech-enabled care for adult social care services. The council notes its intention to “reshape” its adult social care offering in line with the Living Better Lives vision, with aims of helping residents live independently, stay connected, and improve wellbeing. Under this vision, tech-enabled care is labelled as a key enabler, promoting prevention, early intervention, independence, and digital inclusion.
Wider trend: Transforming care pathways
HTN was joined by an expert panel to discuss digital in community care innovation, taking a deep dive into best practice, approaches, challenges, and the 10-Year Plan. Our panel included Sheikh Mateen Ellahi, GP partner, clinical director, and clinical safety officer at Elm Tree Medical Centre and Antonia Frost, CNIO at Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has shared plans to procure a “next-generation digital pathology solution”, publishing a prior information notice and subsequent market engagement. A contract notice is expected to be published around the 6 April 2027, with suppliers invited to register interest via Public Contracts Scotland.
Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust board has highlighted digital in supporting its stroke recovery programme, recent EPR upgrades, progress with ambient voice technology, and a need for the trust to modernise systems going forward. The digital stroke recovery programme is in place as a result of a partnership with iCareiMove, the trust shares. The 12-week programme, ReNeu, is designed to support people in the weeks following a stroke diagnosis, to bring together NHS physiotherapy and “evidence-informed digital delivery”, with live sessions, peer support, and learning resources. Due to its digital delivery model, the trust hopes it will improve accessibility for those experiencing barriers to traditional stroke care.
