Webinar: Bridging the gap – Bringing food, drugs and social connections to the home

EVENT

Webinar: Bridging the gap – Bringing food, drugs and social connections to the home

Date: Thursday, 16 April 2020
Time: 2.30pm – 4.00pm

This webinar explored how businesses and charities across the country are responding to the coronavirus crisis to help the most vulnerable in society continue to access the goods and services they need.

Speakers included:

  • Rachel Dunscombe, CEO, NHS Digital Academy
  • Alan Lowe, Chief Executive, Visionable
  • Paul Mayberry, CEO, Pilltime
  • Kevin Dorren, Founder, Move Fresh
  • Deborah Alsina, CEO, Independent Age

The coronavirus has brought to a fore the challenges delivering healthcare, services and products to some of the most vulnerable in society.

In an ageing society, more of us are at risk of being vulnerable, and the oldest among us are likely to be hit hardest by the crisis. Irrespective of age, vulnerable people who are isolating are at risk of losing access to essential goods and services as well as social connections.

ILC research has found that by 2040, older people could be spending 63p in every pound in the UK economy, and supporting older people overcome barriers to spending could add 2% to GDP every year. But our research also highlighted that digital exclusion is a major barrier to maximising this opportunity.

This webinar, was supported by the ILC Partners Programme and EY, and highlighted how businesses and charities across the country have responded to the challenge, through innovations to help people to continue to shop, access medications, receive care, stay active and engaged.

The webinar also examined what is working and what isn’t, How can we ensure digital exclusion, a lack of coordination of services and regulation don’t get in the way of helping those who need it most?

Through a series of short case studies, our speakers highlighted how different industries are supporting vulnerable people, including:

  • Bringing doctors to patients;
  • Getting essential products and services, including food and medication, into people’s homes;
  • Connecting the socially isolated.

The full recording of the webinar can be viewed here. 

You can download the slides from the webinar here.

 

 

 

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