Digital Maturity of VCFSE sector

Between June and November 2019, Active Lancashire undertook a survey and report for Healthier Lancashire and South Cumbria considering the Digital Maturity of the

@VCFSE⁠

locally. 239 VCFSE organisations and groups across Lancashire and South Cumbria completed the survey and subsequently attended 6 focus groups.

The full version of the report is available, here (insert link). The report offers some valuable insights, with a particular focus on the question of keeping information up to date about service offers or activity sessions that are available. 93% of all responses indicate that they are very or somewhat interested in being part of a system-wide shared online Directory. The data shows that over 35% of the responses came from the sport and physical activity sector.

The key findings were

Most organisations feel that have a good understanding of Social Prescribing and many feel confident that they can deal with the breadth of support that people referred to them may need

They almost all feel financially under pressure, both generally and specifically with regards to upskilling in terms of digital skills and resources. There are notable differences that large organisations feel more prepared, some micro-organisations feels prepared; it is the medium-sized charities that report feeling the least capable and confident

The organisations broadly do report having digital offerings and digital skills to support the digital era, with 94% reporting that they do have an online presence. The challenges are more about the breadth and depth of those skills, which may rely on a very small number of individuals, within a wider culture that may continue to be very paper-based. It is time and resources, rather than skills per se that are the greater challenges.

The report broadly presents a fairly positive view of the opportunity for the adoption of Open Data (perhaps raises some deeper concern about the need for further investment into medium-sized charities - be that about confidence or about the right skills and capacity), but one that undeniably needs support and leadership to make it a reality. Notably there is a mistrust about the concept of a single Directory, expressed by all of the workshops; the biggest issues expressed are that the resource needs to be invested to keep information up to date, alongside the need for some sort of quality assurance of the venue and service itself.

The graph identifies what do responders on behalf of their organisations, see as the real barriers to social prescribing, supported by digital information becoming a reality. There are also anecdotal comments about the need for improved targeting / science within referral processes. The graphs are re-presented with the permission of

Healthier Lancashire and South Cumbria⁠

⁠

This shows the over-arching concern is about funding - in that many of the responses at their heart are about financial resource. The overall commerciality of Social Prescribing and Open Data remains unresolved, as follows

The broad Social Prescribing strategy relies on charities providing support services that can prevent people from needing statutory support; yet there is no investment being made into the actual delivery of these services. There is investment made into the infrastructure, but not delivery

It remains to be proven that citizens will be willing to pay to attend these sessions to make them sustainable. Where a patient is given a Social Prescription by a GP-led process, there may be an assumption that this will fall into the category of free at the point of delivery for “our” NHS. Through the ODI research, a barrier was often about the cost of travel and attendance. Paying £5 per week to attend a few social and activity sessions that together may have significant positive impact on someone’s health seems an acceptable investment, but may need a wider dialogue with society to make this a reality.

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