Uber for Carers: A Game-Changer?

It’s widely accepted that the Social Care sector is severely underfunded and in crisis. Everyone is waiting for the Government to publish its Green Paper on Social Care, expected this Summer which will need to look at system-wide reform.

Whatever the Green Paper concludes, innovation is needed and Cera is moving forward with this at pace with an Uber-style service. 

Cera has raised £12.5 million to help fund its plan to buy failing providers and put patients and carers onto a digital platform.

Cera’s founder and CEO, Dr Ben Maruthappu, believes that the company can:

• Cut costs and improve standard by digitising rotas and logistics and operating at a larger scale than existing providers, many of which have just a few of carers on their books; and
• Let those in need of a carer book one online, responding to enquiries within an hour and in most cases starting care on the same day when requested.

Cera’s carers regularly record patients' medical information using a smartphone app which can be used to predict when they are likely to fall ill, allowing preventative action to be taken.

Cera also plans to launch a new service “CeraFlex”, which will allow those who currently use live-in and full-day carers to save money by allowing them to visit other patients when they are not required.

Capsticks is lead Sponsor at the LaingBuisson Social Care  "Investing in the Future" Conference on 16th May where Cera's Ben Maruthappu will be talking about artificial intelligence in home care .

I look forward to hearing more from Ben about Cera’s innovative plans.

'Uber for carers' startup raises £13m to buy struggling home care firms