Digital Social Care Records: what commissioners now expect in tenders

Digital records are no longer optional

Three years ago, fewer than 40% of adult social care providers used Digital Social Care Records (DSCRs). Today, over 80% of the approximately 18,000 registered providers have adopted them, covering more than 90% of care recipients. GP Connect integration — giving care staff 24/7 access to GP-held information — is now a standard feature of all assured DSCR systems.

This shift has changed what commissioners expect in tender responses. Digital Social Care Records have moved from a “nice to have” to table-stakes evidence. Providers without an assured system, or who cannot demonstrate how they use digital records to improve care, are at a scoring disadvantage in most competitive tenders.

---

What commissioners are looking for

1. System name and assured status

The first thing commissioners check: do you use a Digital Social Care Record system, and is it on the assured solutions list?

What to evidence:

• Name of your DSCR system
• Confirmation it is an NHS England-assured solution
• When you implemented it
• Number of service users and staff using the system

Generic statements about “using digital records” are not enough. Commissioners want the specific system name and its assured status. If you use a system that is not on the assured list, explain what it is and what steps you are taking toward an assured solution.

2. GP Connect integration

All assured DSCR systems now support GP Connect, which allows care staff to view relevant GP-held information about the people they support. Over 2,000 providers are already using GP Connect through their DSCR.

What to evidence:

• Confirmation your system has GP Connect enabled
• How your staff use GP information in day-to-day care delivery
• Examples of how GP Connect access has improved care decisions (medication reconciliation, appointment management, allergy awareness)
• Staff training on appropriate use of GP data

GP Connect is not just a technical feature — it is a clinical governance improvement. Frame it that way in tender responses.

3. Data sharing and interoperability

The direction of travel is clear: social care records need to connect with NHS systems. Commissioners want evidence that your digital infrastructure supports this.

What to evidence:

• How you share information with commissioners, safeguarding teams, and NHS partners
• Your approach to data standards (FHIR, SNOMED CT where applicable)
• How you manage data sharing agreements
• Your information governance framework (Data Security and Protection Toolkit completion)

4. Digital maturity beyond records

DSCR adoption is the baseline. To score well, demonstrate broader digital maturity:

• Electronic medication management (eMAR) — if applicable to your service
• Digital care planning with real-time updates accessible to staff, service users, and families
• Reporting and analytics — using DSCR data to generate quality metrics, identify trends, and drive improvement
• Staff digital skills — how you train and support staff to use digital tools effectively
• Cyber security — how you protect personal data in your digital systems

---

How to write about DSCRs in tender responses

For providers with an assured system

This is the strongest position. Structure your evidence around what the system enables, not just what it is.

Example approach:

“We use [System Name], an NHS England-assured Digital Social Care Record, implemented in [month/year] across [number] services supporting [number] individuals. All frontline staff access the system via mobile devices, with real-time care recording at point of delivery.

GP Connect is active across all locations, giving our care teams 24/7 access to GP-held information. This has improved medication safety (medication discrepancy incidents reduced by [X]% since implementation), supported timely health interventions, and reduced unnecessary GP contacts.

Our DSCR generates monthly quality dashboards covering [specific KPIs], which feed directly into our quality governance framework. We completed the Data Security and Protection Toolkit in [year] with [status].”

For providers without an assured system

If you are still using paper records or a non-assured digital system, you need to address this directly. Do not ignore it.

Example approach:

“We currently use [system/paper records] for care documentation. We recognise that Digital Social Care Records are now expected across the sector and have committed to transitioning to an assured solution. Our implementation plan: [specific system identified], [timeline], [budget allocated], [staff training planned].

In the interim, we maintain robust paper/digital processes including [specific quality controls] and share information with commissioners via [specific methods].”

This is honest and forward-looking. It will not score as highly as an assured system, but it is significantly better than silence.

For smaller providers concerned about cost

The government has invested £20 million to support DSCR adoption, with funding available through local Integrated Care Systems. If cost is a barrier, mention that you are exploring funding routes and have engaged with your local digital team.

Smaller providers should also note that many assured DSCR systems offer pricing scaled to provider size. The barrier is often awareness and change management, not cost.

---

Common gaps in tender responses

Gap 1: Naming the system but not explaining usage

Commissioners do not just want to know you have a DSCR. They want to know how you use it to improve care. System name without usage evidence is a missed scoring opportunity.

Gap 2: Ignoring GP Connect

GP Connect is a differentiator that many providers fail to mention even when their system supports it. If you have it enabled, say so and give an example of how it improves care.

Gap 3: No data governance evidence

DSCR adoption without data governance is a risk flag. Always include your Data Security and Protection Toolkit status, your information governance policies, and how you manage consent for digital record sharing.

Gap 4: Treating digital as an IT question

Tender responses that describe DSCRs as an IT project miss the point. Frame digital records as a quality improvement tool. The technology serves the care — lead with the care outcomes.

Gap 5: Not connecting to CQC evidence

CQC inspections increasingly reference digital record keeping under the Effective and Well-led key questions. Connect your DSCR evidence to your CQC narrative. If your inspection report mentioned digital records positively, quote it.

---

What is coming next

Digital requirements in care sector tenders will continue to increase. Providers should prepare for:

• Mandatory interoperability standards — as NHS England develops the DSCR interoperability standard, commissioners will expect providers to meet it
• Data collection requirements — the government’s adult social care data collection framework is evolving, and DSCR systems will be the primary route for submission
• Digital inclusion expectations — commissioners will ask how you ensure digital tools are accessible to service users and their families, not just staff
• AI and predictive analytics — early-adopting commissioners are beginning to ask about how providers use data for predictive risk management and early intervention

---

Building your digital evidence for tenders

1. Confirm your DSCR system is assured. Check the NHS England assured solutions list. If it is not, plan your transition.

2. Enable GP Connect if you have not already. Contact your DSCR vendor — it should be available at no additional cost on all assured systems.

3. Complete the Data Security and Protection Toolkit. This is increasingly a mandatory tender requirement, not optional.

4. Collect usage data. Track adoption rates (% of care records created digitally), staff usage metrics, and any quality improvements linked to your DSCR.

5. Build digital evidence into your evidence library. Case studies, KPI improvements, and staff feedback on digital tools all strengthen tender responses.

6. Update your tender compliance checklist to include DSCR, GP Connect, and DSPT as standard items.

---