5 min read
A care group delivering residential, supported living, and domiciliary care across multiple regions. The organisation employed several hundred staff in a range of roles: frontline care workers, care coordinators, registered managers, regional managers, and head office teams spanning HR, finance, compliance, and operations. Each role had different technology needs, but there was no structured approach to what equipment each person should receive.
Service: Managed IT Care sub-sector: Residential, supported living, domiciliary care
Equipment purchasing was reactive and inconsistent. When a new starter joined, their manager would request "a laptop" or "a phone" with no specification beyond the basics. The IT team would source whatever was available at the time, sometimes from existing stock, sometimes ordered ad-hoc from whichever supplier had the fastest delivery. The result was a fleet of mismatched devices with different specifications, capabilities, and support requirements.
A care worker in one region might receive a basic Android phone and a shared tablet. A care worker in another region might get a newer smartphone and their own tablet. Registered managers in some homes had laptops, others had desktops, and some had both without any clear reason. Head office staff had accumulated a mix of devices over the years through a process that was closer to inheritance than planning.
This created several problems. New starters often waited days for their equipment because nothing was pre-configured or ready. The IT team spent disproportionate time supporting an unnecessarily diverse range of devices, each with its own quirks and compatibility issues. Budget forecasting was guesswork because nobody knew what would be needed or when.
For care workers specifically, inconsistent equipment meant inconsistent experience. A domiciliary care worker visiting a service user's home needs a device that works reliably, is easy to carry, has a screen large enough to read care plans, and lasts a full shift on battery. When the device selection is random, some care workers get equipment that meets those needs and others don't.
We worked with the operations and HR teams to map every job role in the organisation and define what technology each role genuinely needed to do its job effectively.
Frontline care workers were assigned a standard package: a ruggedised smartphone for communication, scheduling, and quick care record updates, plus a compact tablet for detailed care plan reviews and documentation during visits. Both devices were selected for durability, battery life, and screen readability in varied lighting conditions.
Care coordinators and team leaders received a laptop with docking station capability, allowing them to work from their care home office or hot-desk at another site. A business-grade headset was included for the significant amount of time coordinators spend on calls with families, social workers, and healthcare professionals.
Registered managers were provided with a laptop, external monitor, keyboard, and mouse for their office, plus a portable setup for regional meetings and CQC inspections where they need access to documentation and compliance records on the move.
Head office roles (HR, finance, compliance, operations) received standardised desktop or laptop configurations based on whether the role was primarily office-based or required travel between sites.
Every package included a protective case, appropriate charging accessories, and role-specific software pre-loaded through Intune Autopilot. New devices arrive pre-configured: the staff member turns it on, signs in, and everything they need is ready.
We established a procurement pipeline with agreed specifications and preferred suppliers, so devices are ordered in batches at negotiated rates rather than individually at retail prices. A stock buffer of the most commonly needed packages means that most new starters can be equipped on the day they are confirmed, rather than waiting for a procurement cycle.
Every new starter now receives a standardised, pre-configured hardware package appropriate to their role on their first day. The days of waiting for equipment, or receiving whatever happened to be in the cupboard, are gone.
The IT team supports a defined set of device models rather than an ever-expanding variety. Troubleshooting is faster because the team knows exactly what hardware and configuration each role is running. Spare parts and replacement devices are stocked efficiently because the models are predictable.
Budget forecasting has become straightforward. The organisation knows the cost per role, the expected replacement cycle, and the projected new starter volume. Annual hardware spending moved from unpredictable to planned, which matters for a care provider operating on tight margins.
The consistency has been most impactful for frontline care workers. Every care worker across every region now has the same reliable equipment, chosen specifically for the demands of their role. A care worker transferring between regions or covering a shift at a different site uses familiar devices with the same setup. The technology gets out of the way and lets them focus on the person in front of them.
Standard hardware packages defined for every job role · New starter provisioning reduced from days to same-day · Consistent user experience across all sites · Predictable annual hardware budget · Support simplified through reduced device variety
Related service: Managed IT
Every care worker, from their first day, has equipment chosen for the job they actually do. The right device, ready to go, configured for their role. It sounds simple because it should be. Care organisations can't afford for technology to be the reason someone's first shift is delayed or their documentation is incomplete.