This startup wants to solve the social care crisis with AI

The social care crisis – as demonstrated with the Conservative Party's disastrous manifesto pledge – is one of the biggest issues facing the NHS. Spending squeezes have led to bed-blocking in hospitals; while low wages and poor working conditions are causing carers to leave the industry in droves. One social care startup thinks that a solution might lie in AI. Cera, founded by Ben Maruthappu, a former innovation adviser to NHS England, is a startup that wants to provide smarter social care using an Uber-style platform to match carers and patients. The startup has to date raised £2.7 million in early funding, and in March signed a partnership with Barts Health NHS Trust, as well as several clinical commissioning groups and hospitals in London to test its solution.