St Helens Borough Council – augmenting TEC with AI

In October 2024, St Helens Council launched its AI-driven Technology Enabled Care (TEC) Hub, a key component of its 2024-2027 Adult Social Care strategy and its "reablement – home first approach," to transform its services. This initiative is focused on shifting from reactive to proactive care, empowering individuals post-hospital stay to confidently resume everyday activities. 

The council's team innovatively utilised Microsoft Copilot Studio to develop in-house AI tools, including predictive analytics. AI-powered predictive analytics were used to match individuals with optimal TEC solutions and develop cost models for care planning. This integration aims to optimise TEC's impact and embed it within the council's next-generation digital strategy.

Strategically situated within the Brookfield Centre, a 30-bed care unit bridging the gap between hospital and home, the TEC Hub provided a practical environment for residents to familiarise themselves with a range of technologies. This included radar fall detection lamps, companion pets, and automated medication dispensers, all procured by the council. 

The centre was key to the council’s person-centred approach, ensuring residents were actively involved in shaping their care and the technology they utilised. Recognising the growing prevalence of digital solutions, the council prioritised resident feedback, incorporating their experiences to maximise the project’s impact. This hands-on, accessible introduction to TEC was crucial for building trust and ensuring the AI’s effectiveness, as resident engagement was paramount to its success.

A core aim with the establishment of the TEC Hub was to integrate TEC into the next generation of technology, in particular AI. The council were keen to make sure that TEC and AI were not seen as a standalone technologies and instead worked together to deliver the best outcomes for residents. 

The team explored and tested how AI could provide actionable insights and predict future care needs, enabling early intervention and preventative measures. Leveraging existing Microsoft Copilot Studio licences and the expertise of the council’s in-house development team, St Helens built their technology internally. This approach not only yielded substantial cost savings but also fostered the development of transferable skills, benefiting future AI deployments across other council services. This strategic in-house development significantly amplified the project’s financial impact and its broader contribution to the council. The team's achievements in integrating TEC with AI-driven insights have been recognised through their participation in Microsoft’s AI Masterclass, a testament to their innovative and sector leading work. Similarly, the LGA also held an in-depth workshop highlighting their successful Robotic Process Automation (RPA) implementation, which complements their ongoing AI initiatives.

The development of this technology has resulted in an AI-integrated TEC catalogue, co-curated by care professionals to guarantee the suitability and reliability of all recommended TEC solutions. The AI system combines care assessment documentation with the catalogue, utilising predictive analytics to identify appropriate TEC scenarios tailored to individual needs. Subsequently, generative AI produces personalised care plans, detailing these scenarios and the associated costings, to facilitate residents’ return home and extend independent living.

A key priority of the project was to ensure the safe and responsible application of AI, adhering to sector best practice. To this end, the Digital and Information Governance teams established a robust governance framework. This involved collating guidance from government bodies, the LGA, the North West Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (NWADASS), and other relevant sources to inform the creation of their comprehensive ‘Guidance and Principles of Usage of AI’ document. This policy was carefully integrated with existing IT and Digital policies, ensuring a cohesive and non-duplicative approach. Beyond policy development, the council has prioritised workforce education, creating an e-learning module accessible to all staff. This initiative aimed to raise awareness of the AI policies and to cultivate the necessary skills for its effective utilisation in service delivery.

The council’s robust data management policies were integral to their comprehensive governance approach. Leveraging an existing data management framework, established during a previous project, they ensured a secure data anchor for the project. Data collected from devices and sensors adhered to strict data management controls, guaranteeing that personal information was not stored on the devices themselves. Instead, device data was securely linked to individual records at the central anchor.

The project’s success was underpinned by the collaborative efforts of colleagues across St Helens Council. Developing AI to effectively complement TEC necessitated close partnership working between the ICT, Digital, and Adult Social Care (ASC) teams. Each team contributed unique perspectives, ensuring a holistic understanding of the requirements for successful outcomes. A combination of adult social care expertise, data management knowledge, practical IT considerations, and governance process understanding was essential for the well rounded project. 

There were also learnings from the council about maintaining a view of your initial objectives. Opportunities to ride the wave of technological innovations are attractive, but care must be taken to ensure technology adoption is contributing towards strategic goals. From the outset the council allowed for user testing and iteration based on resident feedback to ensure meaningful engagement. Residents and technology users shaped the project and were key in making it a success. The council purposefully made space for users to shape the outcomes and ensure the end product worked for them and other residents.

Notably, the project operated without a pre-allocated budget, necessitating the team to identify cashable savings to fund its development. Through research, the council determined that implementing automated medication dispensers could result in substantial financial benefits. These dispensers automatically and safely remind patients to take their medication, ensuring accurate dosage at the correct time, with minimal care intervention beyond pharmacy refills. For every 20 patients utilising the dispensers, the council could realise savings of up to £160,000 per annum by reducing domiciliary care costs. With an estimated 60 patients enrolled, net of dispenser costs, potential savings exceeded £430,000 per annum. These savings were strategically reinvested to fund further technology developments and pilots within adult social care, projected to deliver additional savings and efficiencies across the ASC service.

Building upon the project’s success, St Helens Council aims to disseminate its learnings both internally and across the wider sector. They believe that many of the achievements within their council can be readily replicated by others. The council recognises the significant value of leveraging in-house AI expertise and they seek to maximise its benefits across all council services.

Furthermore, they plan to integrate TEC with their AI chatbot, "Helen," enhancing technology accessibility and visibility through the chatbot’s seamless integration with the council’s new digital front door.