It’s easy to set all this stuff out in terms of the web (just like the helpful people Andy encountered whose stock response was to suggest that he check Google) and lose sight of both people’s Real-Life networks of partners, family and friends, and of the great variety of practitioner intermediaries in all this.
Over-focusing on the web takes you straight towards the question of access, let alone the question of the skills needed when you’re there. Notwithstanding UK evidence of rapidly developing access, (and more here too) are we at risk of forgetting that the digital divide hasn’t quite been filled in yet, and is still quite wide in places/parts of society? (And how do these disparities relate to the demographics of LTCs?).
Then again, there’s the current policy emphasis on tackling health inequalities. Is it OK not to be seen to be addressing this specifically? It’s highly probable that web-enabled people (OK there are a variety of ways that this can be so) will be the first to benefit from what we’re proposing. Should we relax and believe there’ll be a trickle-though effect?
Hmmmnn.
