FIVE projects designed to improve adult social care using digital technology have finished the first stage of their development.

Torfaen council worked with five suppliers to research and develop ideas to deliver better adult social care through the use of data and digital technology as part of the government's Govtech Catalyst Challenge - a scheme which aims to help technology firms develop innovative solutions to public sector challenges.

Each of the suppliers was granted £50,000 to cover research and development costs and have spent three months developing their ideas and testing them with members of the community, the third sector and other organisations.

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At the end of this research and development phase, it is expected the new insight will help deliver more effective adult social care and the best of these could be awarded up to £500,000 to turn potential solutions into viable products or services.

The funding comes following Torfaen council’s successful bid to the GovTech Catalyst for up to £1.25 million of Cabinet Office funding for the projects.

"Public services and the communities they serve are facing some pretty big challenges. We don’t always have the answers to these," said Cllr David Daniels, Torfaen’s executive member for adult services.

"We know that adult social care services will play a major part in keeping some of us independent, living well in the community, and out of hospital for longer.

"We know that we’ll need to be smarter in targeting support to those that need it most and that if we don’t find innovative health and social care solutions, then public services will not be able to cope with future demand."

Jim Wright, development and day opportunities team manager for Torfaen Council, said: "At the end of this phase we’ll take stock and review the solutions and process so far.

"During February and March, the next step will be for the five suppliers to submit written reports and present their business cases to the council and Cabinet Office.

"A workshop will then decide which supplier or suppliers have the potential to progress to phase two which could be worth up to £500,000 each."