The TEC Opportunity: State of the Sector Report 2024

1​6 April 2024

The inaugural State of the Sector report, a collaborative report between TSA and PA Consulting, was compiled using a mix of qualitative and quantitative research. The research highlighted there is huge potential for TEC to transform the lives of people of all ages, but it is currently underutilised.

There is a crisis in health and social care that is resulting in councils struggling to meet our ageing population’s increasingly complex needs within constrained budgets. Councils need to prevent demand and reduce costs. There is a consensus among directors of adult social care and politicians that innovative technology-enabled solutions should play a key role in addressing these challenges.

TEC can support more people

Across the country, TEC connects millions of people to care and support that enables them to live independently. More than two million people use TEC connected to an alarm receiving centre across the UK. The largest five TEC alarm receiving organisations account for almost half of those connections, with many of them monitoring on behalf of other bodies.

The COVID-19 pandemic pushed TEC to the fore as councils and their partners adapted the ways they support people. TEC established itself as a way to deliver better outcomes for people at a lower cost. In our survey, 100% of adult social care leaders told us TEC is a vital part of their social care offer. TEC is no longer only for older people and those with physical disabilities, as councils are now using TEC to support a range of different people.

TEC is a crucial part of strategies to support people

Councils have told us they see TEC as part of their response to the crisis in social care, with 97% of adult social care leaders agreeing that TEC is an important part of the way councils are planning to respond to the tidal wave of demand and complexity. They are using TEC to support the independence and safety of people in their community – effectively preventing demand, managing complexity, and proactively reducing an escalation in the cost of care. Beyond publicly funded services, the TEC opportunity is also driven by the growth of consumer technology, such as smart devices, that supports people’s health and wellbeing. There is increasing awareness and acceptance of using technology in this way. For example, 34% of people in the UK use wearable technology and apps to manage their health.

The case for the wider use of TEC has been proven, but the pace of change is inconsistent

Eight out of 10 councils believe the case for the wider use of TEC has been proven. This is driving many councils to seek to transform the way technology is used to support better outcomes for people. As councils progress along that transformation journey, we expect TEC will start to support a far wider range of people, such as supporting children with complex needs. Although councils see the transformational potential of TEC, the pace at which they are driving transformation of care models with TEC embedded has been inconsistent. Progress towards supporting more people of all ages with a broader range of needs remains slow. Councils have identified the challenges and enablers of change that need to be addressed if they are to translate their TEC ambitions into the accelerated action that delivers great outcomes for people in the place, they call home.

Our research suggests local authorities that wish to achieve this will need to prioritise sustainable transformational change with TEC embedded, with a focus on outcomes, not on technology. This will be achieved by: Defining the outcomes and building the investment case Tackling the challenges ahead and identifying the enablers of success Igniting momentum with a senior championed plan for success.

Download the full report here

If you have any questions, please email admin@tsa-voice.org.uk