APPGAT manager Clive Gilbert and APPGAT associate member Hereward College's Paul Doyle joined forces last month to deliver a seminar on assistive technology and independent living at the Smart Home Expo hosted by the Birmingham NEC on Wednesday 27th March . Clive and Paul explored the emerging role of smart home technologies in supporting disabled and older people to live in their own homes.

Clive highlighted the potential for smart technologies to allow users to easily integrate specialist and mainstream devices to suit their needs. He also outlined how the national policy agenda in health and social care is facilitating new investment in technology enabled care and support, and suggested that local councils needed to be more versatile in the way they use technology to assist residents.

Paul described Hereward College's approach to implementing accessible living for disabled students. He explained that the College has a strong track record of using home automation technologies to create accessible living spaces for young people with complex needs. Paul also discussed the various industry initiatives that have been launched in the UK and abroad relating to smart homes and disabled and older people.

The APPGAT is planning further engagement on this topic, including a roundtable in parliament to gather evidence for a response to the forthcoming (much delayed) Social Care Green Paper.