Top 5 reasons why tech adoption fails in health & social care

Dr Richard Dune

30-05-2025

Top 5 reasons why tech adoption fails in health & social care

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A practical guide for health and social care providers to make confident, compliant digital decisions that support growth and sustainability

For health and social care providers, the pressure to ‘go digital’ has never been greater. Whether it's meeting CQC expectations, streamlining compliance, or improving care delivery, technology promises to be the answer. However, it often becomes a problem in itself.

Across the UK, we’ve seen providers invest in expensive software that adds layers of confusion, slows down processes, or simply fails to deliver what is needed. Worse, some are tied into contracts they can’t easily exit, with staff left to deal with the consequences.

In this blog, Dr Richard Dune examines how providers can make informed digital decisions that are effective not just for today, but for the long term. It’s based on hard lessons from across the sector, and practical steps to help leaders avoid common tech traps and choose solutions that genuinely support care, compliance, and growth.

Why tech mistakes still happen and what to do about it

Digital transformation in health and social care has accelerated rapidly, with providers now presented with more tools, platforms, and “solutions” than ever before. Yet too many organisations are locked into tech that underdelivers, overspends, or adds unnecessary complexity.

We’ve seen the same scenario unfold time and again: software purchased in haste becomes a barrier to quality care, rather than a bridge to improvement.

This guide is for care leaders, compliance officers, and decision-makers who want to make smarter technology choices without regret.

Common missteps we’ve seen providers make

From our work across the UK health and social care sector, five mistakes stand out:

Investing in tech without assessing actual needs
Skipping trials and rushing into contracts
Ignoring questions about integration and flexibility
Locking into long contracts in a fast-evolving market
Choosing sales charm over practical support.

Each mistake alone can cause frustration. Combined, they can lead to service disruption, non-compliance, or thousands of pounds in wasted spend. Let’s unpack each of these missteps and explore how to avoid them.

1. Be specific about your current needs

Many care providers begin with the wrong question, “What’s the best system?”. The better question is, “What do we need right now?”

You may not need a full-suite enterprise platform. What you may need today is a reliable audit tool, a digital MAR chart, or a training tracker. Going too big too soon leads to:

Overwhelming functionality
Frustrated staff
Unused features on expensive contracts.

A simple organisational needs analysis can help you start where you are. Pinpoint specific issues, for example, start by asking the following questions:

Are we missing staff training records?
Are our audits time-consuming and inconsistent?
Are our rotas being created manually?
Have audits or inspections flagged weak documentation?

Fix what’s broken now, then scale later.

2. Insist on a proper trial, not just a demo

One of the most costly mistakes is signing a multi-year deal after a polished demo, only to find that the system doesn’t work as expected in the field.

Instead:

Ask for a pilot using your data.
Involve frontline staff, not just management, in testing.
Validate real-world use, not theoretical functionality.

If a provider can’t provide you with hands-on access or a proof of concept tailored to your service, that’s a major red flag.

3. Ask the right questions: Integration, growth, and exit

When considering any new tech, focus on three critical areas:

1. Integration:

Will it work with your existing payroll, HR, or compliance systems?
Is there an open API available to facilitate seamless integration?
Are integrations included or an expensive add-on?

2. Scalability:

Can it grow with your service, or scale down if needed?
Can you add modules incrementally, or is it all bundled?

3. Exit strategy:

What happens if it doesn’t work out?
How easy is it to retrieve and migrate your data?
Is the exit process included in your contract?

These aren’t “difficult” questions. They’re necessary questions every provider should ask. If a vendor avoids them, consider why.

4. Avoid long contracts, tech moves fast

Digital tools in health and social care are evolving at lightning speed. With the rise of AI, automation, and mobile-first solutions, what’s cutting-edge today could be obsolete tomorrow.

That’s why we recommend:

Short-term or rolling contracts
Avoiding “lifetime deals”
Choosing providers who offer transparent roadmaps and regular updates.

If your provider doesn’t allow flexible exit terms or isn’t transparent about the product's future, think twice before committing.

5. Prioritise ongoing support over sales flash

An enthusiastic sales pitch doesn’t guarantee long-term value. What truly matters is what happens after implementation.

Ask the following questions:

Will the team be available when something breaks?
Can they support your frontline staff in using the system?
Do they proactively communicate updates and changes?

Good support builds confidence. Great support builds long-term success.

Even less flashy systems can deliver excellent outcomes if backed by a responsive, experienced, and genuinely helpful support team.

What digital transformation really means

Tech is just the tool. Real transformation is about:

Better workflows
Empowered staff
Sustainable systems
Improved compliance and outcomes.

You don’t need the most expensive system. You need the one that fits your budget, your service, and your staff. So before your next digital decision, ask yourself:

What do we actually need today?
Have we truly tested this system?
Will it adapt if we grow or restructure?
What happens if we want to exit?
Who will support us long after we make the purchase?

These five questions can save time, reduce stress, and support safer, more effective care delivery.

Final word - Clarity beats complexity

The tech landscape in health and social care is filled with buzzwords, dashboards, and promises. But clarity is your most powerful decision-making tool.

Don’t be dazzled. Be deliberate.

Don’t chase hype. Solve real problems.

And never confuse a signed contract with a successful solution.

Discover ComplyPlus™ - Built with providers, for providers

At The Mandatory Training Group, we’ve worked alongside health and social care providers for over a decade to understand what genuinely helps and what gets in the way. That insight shaped the development of ComplyPlus™, our flexible, user-focused compliance management software.

Built by practitioners, not just programmers, ComplyPlus™ was designed with:

Modular features to meet you where you are
Clear dashboards that speak to frontline teams
Interoperability with the systems you already use
Flexible contracts that work for real-life services.

At ComplyPlus™ (from The Mandatory Training Group), we’ve ensured that these questions are answered upfront. Our modular, interoperable design means you’re never boxed in and never locked out of your own data.

I led this project because I’ve seen firsthand how poor tech choices disrupt care and how the right systems, built with health and care teams in mind, can transform confidence, compliance, and outcomes.

Explore how ComplyPlus™ can help your organisation make better digital decisions.

About the author

Dr Richard Dune

With over 25 years of experience, Dr Richard Dune has a rich background in the NHS, the private sector, academia, and research settings. His forte lies in clinical R&D, advancing healthcare tech, workforce development, and governance. His leadership ensures that regulatory compliance and innovation align seamlessly.