Social care practitioners demonstrate Magic Notes to Cllr Dicicco
Solihull Council is set to introduce artificial intelligence software to help adult social care teams spend more time supporting people and reduce admin hours by as much as 65% per week.
The software, called Magic Notes, avoids the need for staff to write or type notes by recording information from assessments, reviews and other discussions they have with adults receiving care and support from the Council.
Cllr Tony Dicicco, the Council’s cabinet member for adult social care and health, is enthusiastic about the difference it will make for Solihull residents. “We are one of the first councils in the West Midlands to introduce Magic Notes. It should be a game changer for people we support as well as our social work teams.
“Staff taking part in the pilot scheme last year reported that they had better quality conversations with people we are supporting. And a member of the public described feeling less anxious about an assessment because the social worker was able to concentrate fully on them, rather than having to take notes.
Cllr Dicicco continues: “Because conversations are captured precisely and are ready to review immediately after a visit, staff can share assessments and support plans more quickly. This also supports staff wellbeing by helping them to manage workloads better and complete follow up actions quicker.”
The software, developed by UK-based organisation Beam, was trialled by 20 adult social care staff across 282 visits and meetings in 2024. It led to an average 65% drop in the amount of time social care staff spend on compiling assessments. Magic Notes will now be rolled out to about 270 staff.