Using technology to modernise, streamline and improve care services across the traditional health and social services seems like the holy grail of digital government. But for over two decades there has been a trail littered with failed programmes and projects, such as NHSIT, Connecting for Health and more recently, Care.Data.

Integration of care services is arguably the biggest, most important and most complex challenge facing local government and the UK public sector as a whole. It affects people’s lives, is politically sensitive and is at the heart of the growing resource pressures on councils and health. It is also hugely impacted by new technologies that are forcing a change to cultures and practices.