TAPPI, C&C and Aster - progressing with technology for a brighter future

As a fairly nimble specialist housing and care provider in London, C&C (opens new window) has been on a journey to build an infrastructure capable of delivering our technology-centred future. We developed a Digital C&C Strategy (opens new window) in 2019 to put technology at the heart of  the four pillars of our business – Services, Homes, People and Business Health.

Our focus was to support residents to be connected, independent, healthy and well; we wanted our people to be the best they could be and to be trusted as an efficient business that made good decisions. Our Digital Strategy was based on achieving the best outcomes and we have already made much progress.

Being a member of the Technology for our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation (TAPPI) has been a fantastic experience to date, and the learning from the Inquiry has both supported our own digital journey and brought new insights from a diverse range of individuals and organisations. We have heard evidence from many people who have been on their own digital / tech journeys and had much to share and offer. The generosity of sharing through this process has resulted in a truly well informed Inquiry report.

We still have far to go to ensure true Digital Citizenship for all, but the 10 TAPPI principles gives us a place to build from and should provide food for thought for housing associations. We have a unique opportunity to use our new technological capabilities to bring forward the long- awaited health, housing and social care integration agenda. We can start to make real and lasting change.

Much like the series of HAPPI standards which developed sector understanding of building design for an ageing population, TAPPI is on a journey to evolve as the go-to design standard for technology.

Of course, our technological world is changing by the day – we are running an ultra-marathon interspersed with fast sprints and we mustn’t fall off the pace. It will be the combined energy of individuals, organisations and our sector that will drive the necessary changes to make Digital Citizenship for our ageing population a societal norm.

C&C intends to soon join forces with Aster Group (opens new window). We are both on digital transformation journeys and are excited about how we can achieve even more by bringing our combined expertise, interest and resources together. TAPPI will be a great source of inspiration and will help us to raise the bar, look to the future and challenge the art of the possible.

---

Julia Ashley is Chief Executive of Central & Cecil (C&C).  She was an expert Panelist on the Housing LIN’s Inquiry, Technology for an Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation (TAPPI). More about TAPPI and download the Inquiry report.

C&C are proud to sponsor the Housing LIN’s Housing and Older People pages.