It hardly seems possible to me but this month we celebrate the two-year anniversary of Cassius, Suffolk’s digital care partnership between Suffolk County Council, technology company Alcove and change management consultants Rethink Partners, and the results so far have been fantastic.
Cassius offers modern, cutting-edge care technology which blends in with mainstream technology and can be used to complement face-to-face care. Since launching in 2021 we have had over 3,800 referrals, provided over 7,600 pieces of digital care technology and things just keep growing with over 100 referrals each week over the last month alone. Aside from the £12.9m of savings made do far, by helping people stay independent for longer in their own homes and avoiding more expensive care options, what we are really seeing is that people, their families, friends, and carers are now at the heart of their own care. They can do more for themselves, and continue to live good, fulfilling lives within their own communities across Suffolk.
What impresses me most about Cassius, is that it’s not just about the technology, it goes the extra mile to provide the information and intelligence necessary to ensure people get the right care. It also offers an end-to-end service, talking people through their needs, providing ongoing guidance, advice, and support, as well as installation of the necessary technology.
Cassius was also awarded three prestigious awards earlier this year, At the Health Tech Digital Awards 2023, it was named Best Innovation Project of the Year; it was awarded Best New Assistive Technology Solution of the Year at the Assistive Technology Awards 2023, while Cassius+, a new pilot project in the west of Suffolk, won Best Innovation Project of the Year at the same awards.
My congratulations go to the whole team for working so hard and truly revolutionising, and leading, the digital care offer in Suffolk - Happy Birthday!
Speaking of awards, Adult Social Care is about more than just new technology, however important that may be these days, it is always primarily about people, and today I am pleased to announce that Suffolk County Council has agreed to sponsor the Newly Qualified Social Worker of the year awards, having been immensely proud of the achievements of one of our Newly Qualified Social Workers in winning the award last year.
At Suffolk County Council we believe our workforce is the cornerstone of delivering high quality services and we are proud of the investment we make in our staff to ensure they have the skills, time, and support necessary to improve the lives of people across the county.
Recruitment into Adult Social Care is a top priority, and like every other local authority across the country, at times that can be tough. In Suffolk we are fortunate to have a highly successful Apprentice Social Worker programme running alongside other sponsored recruitment schemes, a range of funded and supported post qualifying programmes, and an excellent Assessed and Supported Year in Employment programme, with co-production firmly embedded across social work education through our Social Work Teaching Partnership.
So, if you are reading this and want to join an ambitious and innovative Local Authority, and its Adult Social Care service which is leading the way through cutting-edge care technology, and celebrating the incredible work of social workers, carers and others – visit Suffolk Jobs Direct and search for adult social care.
