Administrative tasks have long been a barrier in social care, pulling professionals away from the essential work they do: supporting people.

The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) 80-20 campaign revealed a striking reality – social workers are spending only 20% of their time in direct contact with families. This is a stark reflection of the growing disconnect between what is needed and what is possible in today's system.

The need for change is urgent. Social workers should be spending more of their time with people, not buried in paperwork.

The current system demands significant administrative effort, consuming valuable time that could be better spent in direct engagement with families and individuals.

Technology is already making an impact, but its potential remains largely untapped. AI-powered voice dictation is changing the way social workers document interactions, stripping away administrative burdens and giving them back valuable time. But this is just the beginning.

Too often, the voices of those receiving care get lost in the noise of bureaucracy. Young people, vulnerable individuals – those whose perspectives are vital – often find their voices overlooked or underrepresented.

This is a systemic flaw that must be addressed to ensure that those most in need have a say in the decisions that impact their lives.

Their voices should be at the forefront of social care, guiding practitioners as they make decisions about care plans and interventions. This shift in focus should not be incremental but transformational.

Andy Sparkes, Managing Director, Local Government at Access HSC said: ‘AI has the potential to reshape social care, not just by easing administrative pressures, but by ensuring the voices of those receiving support are truly heard.

‘Vital insights from the people at the heart of care can be lost in paperwork. If we are serious about reform, we must find ways to give social workers more time to focus on people, not processes, while upholding the highest standards of security and ethics.'

It's time for change. AI-powered solutions like Access NotesCentre can directly capture and embed a person's voice into their case records, ensuring that their words, experiences, and concerns are reflected in the decisions that affect their lives.

Voice recordings, automatically transcribed and summarised, help create case notes or detailed reports, reducing manual data entry and ensuring more detailed, person-centred records.

This transformation is not just about simplifying processes; it's about enhancing the depth and quality of the record-keeping process.

Social workers don't just need to track tasks and actions – they need to track people's stories, concerns, and aspirations. AI can support this narrative, creating more accurate, empathetic records that empower social workers to make better decisions.

Unlike generic transcription tools, purpose-built solutions for social care must be seamless, accurate, and fully integrated into existing workflows.

These solutions should be designed to adapt continuously to the unique language of social care, capturing the nuances and context that are essential for accurate, person-centred records.

AI is not meant to replace human judgment, but it should empower social workers, eliminating unnecessary administrative tasks and allowing them to focus more on human interactions.

However, as we embrace AI, we must ensure its responsible implementation. Strong data security measures and a secure, ring-fenced AI model are essential to safeguarding patient data and ensuring that sensitive information is never used for external training or exposed to unauthorised parties. Social care data is highly sensitive, and we must protect it with the highest standards of privacy.

A full audit trail is a key component in this process, providing transparency and accountability. It ensures that each step in the AI-powered system can be traced back to a clear decision-making process, with documentation that shows how decisions are made and what information influenced those outcomes.

This is not only crucial for the integrity of the system, but it also ensures that the voices of those receiving care are never lost or misrepresented. By embedding these ethical standards into AI's design, it guarantees that local authorities are adopting technology in a way that upholds the highest standards of care, accountability, and trust.

The future of social care documentation isn't about ticking boxes or rushing through tasks. It's about ensuring that technology amplifies the voices of those who need support the most.

If the sector is serious about reforming the system, it must fully embrace AI and other digital tools. The potential benefits are clear, but they can only be realised if social workers are equipped with the right tools to improve their practice and connect more deeply with the individuals they support. This is not a time for incremental change; it's a time for bold action.

For more information please email us at HSC.LG.Marketing@theaccessgroup.com