Integrating Digital and Human Care – Reimagining the Statutory Carer Pathway

Background: In many countries, an ageing population, increasingly complex caring roles and constrained health and care budgets have created growing pressure on services and the unpaid Carers who support those who rely on them. Despite their contribution to promoting wellbeing and sustaining independence, integrated care developments often neglect to consider how to engage and support unpaid carers. In England, through the Care Act (2014), Carers are entitled to a Statutory Carers Assessment to holistically identify needs and provide wellbeing support. However, only 23% of Carers are assessed each year and 42% report that follow-up support wasn’t provided. Traditional telephone assessments are lengthy and resource-intensive, contributing to waiting times and deterring engagement.

 

Approach: With funding from the Department of Health and Social Care’s Accelerating Reform Fund, Forward Carers (a Carer-centred Social Enterprise) developed iCASPAR® (intelligent Carers Assessment, Support Plan and Review), an online pathway integrating digital self-assessment with professional guidance. Co-production was embedded throughout, drawing on participatory design methods and the ladder of participation to ensure Carers’ voices shaped every stage.

 

 Over 400 Carers and Carer Advisors contributed via surveys, focus groups and iterative software testing sprints, and were rewarded for their time as experts by experience. Pre-design research identified key barriers to participating in the traditional assessment format: lack of time for a two-hour appointment, discomfort discussing personal issues in front of the cared-for person, difficulty articulating needs under pressure, and worry about burdening Advisors. Carer insights directly shaped more than 100 design improvements, including clearer explanations of data security, visible consent and sharing options, reframed safeguarding questions, and a warmer, empathetic tone throughout. Human oversight remains integral, ensuring that assessments are reviewed, safeguarding concerns are escalated, and unmet needs are referred for further statutory assessment.

 

 

 

Results: iCASPAR is currently in BETA testing, comparing like-for-like outcomes with the existing offline pathway. Early feedback shows strong engagement and positive experience. Carer-testers describe the platform as private, flexible and empowering. Importantly, Carers who have not previously completed an assessment have welcomed the opportunity to undertake their supported self-assessment. Advisor-testers report reduced administrative time and greater capacity to focus on complex or high-need cases. The platform’s Carer-led Support Plan enables individuals to select support options most relevant to their needs, improving ownership and likely uptake.

 

Implications: iCASPAR demonstrates how co-produced digital innovation can integrate digital access with human care to address both Carer and system-level challenges. By creating a flexible self-serve entry point with professional oversight, it reduces waiting times, supports early identification of Carers at risk, and improves equitable access to statutory support.

 

As a learning system, iCASPAR will, in future, draw on insights from over 10,000 anonymised assessments to develop AI-enabled resource recommendations. While the intelligent component is not yet trained - due to insufficient structured data - this limitation avoids premature bias, reflecting a responsible approach to ethical AI. The model enables smarter prioritisation, strengthens prevention, and offers a scalable solution for integrated care systems seeking to balance efficiency, accessibility and humanity in statutory Carer support.