Published on 12 June 2026
Authored Amrit Dhaliwal, CEO and Founder, Walfinch, and panel moderator
I’m convinced that research, data and innovation can be used to improve social care. I know, because I’ve used it myself and seen positive results.
However, this is an ever-changing scene, and I’m always keen to keep up with the latest developments, so I was delighted to host the Research, Data & Innovation as Drivers of Meaningful Improvement Across Adult Social Care panel at the Care Innovation Summit on 11 June 2026.
The panel brought together information and guidance from experts, including Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive, Care England, Camille Oung, Fellow at the Nuffield Trust, Lewis Stewart, Programme Manager – Health & Social Care, at techUK, and Rachael Crook, CEO of Lifted.
It examined how care operators can make decisions guided by evidence and experience, how think tanks can help, and how partnerships between academic, clinical and regulatory bodies can strengthen care to make a practical difference to clients, carers and families. Crucially it also looked at what innovations could reduce costs, improve staff productivity and lower operational risk.
Making decisions about these issues is not easy, and you risk being overwhelmed with information, but in my experience, it’s key to start with a plan. In my book Time To Thrive: The Home Care Revolution, I devote a whole chapter to explaining my experience of using data, technology and innovation to drive care quality, and it started with planning.
Individualised decisions
Decisions are complex, and vary according to the individual care operator. Each one must first determine what decision is needed (depending on business strategy) and what information will help them make it.
Then the task is to select and gather the necessary data from internal and external sources, and analyse the results. There is plenty of technology that can help do that, and other data and information sources that can feed into that decision.
Master the information
Don’t just use the data and the technology to make the decision for you. Speak to your team, survey your clients, use your own experience, to decide what you are going to do. If it’s an innovation, all the better.
Finally, a caution: never adopt technology for technology’s sake, and never, ever, let data or technology replace genuine human compassion for clients.
