On 21 May 2025, Northamptonshire Carers hosted their 4th IMPACT Network on Technology in care meeting and workshop, at the University of Northampton — a day of insight, collaboration, and practical action focused on how technology can support greater independence and prevention in care.
Northamptonshire Carers are one of seven organisations across the UK that facilitated an IMPACT Network on technology in care. On 21 May 2025, Northamptonshire Carers hosted their 4th Network meeting and workshop at the University of Northampton. They ran an open session for the Network group and wider stakeholders to come together and make progress with their action plan for change in Northamptonshire.
The morning started with a human-sized board game – Mind the Gap: Tackling Digital Exclusion. The game was created by Dan Williamson – using research from the Centre for Care and the Information School at the University of Sheffield – and developed by award-winning artist Paul Evans, with the aim of stimulating discussion and encouraging attendees to consider the everyday barriers and experiences people have in an ever-changing digital world.
Dan hosted, with Cate Goodlad from the Networks team guiding the audience through the game. The interactive nature of the game brought to the surface the barriers faced by real people in our society and through discussion attendees explored potential solutions to the issues.
Members of the audience and the Expert Panel brought valuable insights to the discussion that arose during the game. The experiences that people shared prompted attendees to reflect on their own experiences – such as the use of A.I chat bots, automated phonelines and access to services – which gave valuable feedback to members of Northamptonshire Councils who design similar services.
The afternoon session involved presentations on various Tech Support Offers and updates from departments in Northamptonshire Integrated Care. We heard from:
- Pedro Santos, System Lead for Remote Monitoring and Assistive Tech, shared updates on the Northants Remote Monitoring Hub and the pilot of Magic Notes
- Rebecca Gill, Nurse, CEO and Founder of VR Therapies, spoke about immersive therapies using Virtual Reality
- Darren Crombie, CEO and Founder of Bridgit Care, demonstrated their AI-driven online support tool for carers
- Hugh Spence, Support Worker at Northamptonshire Association for the Blind (NAB), shared lived experience insights and NAB’s digital strategy
- Richard Beards, Innovation Manager at Digital Northants, presented the Digital Technology Innovation Strategy
- Steve Marshall, Senior Business Analyst, discussed the North Northants Digital Plan
The final hour of the workshop was a real highlight for people on the day, with the room transformed into an interactive hub of demonstrations & discussions. Everyone had the opportunity to get hands-on with the various technologies being promoted: engaging with the tabletop board games, exploring Magic Notes, experiencing Virtual Reality therapies, trying out the Bridgit Care Online AI Tool, and learning about digital tools for sight impairment.
Core IMPACT Network members met to add details to their action plan, with the Network team facilitating productive discussions. This collaborative approach helped ensure that the insights and ideas shared throughout the day and previous meetings translate into tangible next steps.
This was not just a meeting; it was a vibrant demonstration of Northampton’s collective dedication to promoting greater independence and prevention through technology in care and we’re looking forward to seeing their plans continue forward.
