Launched a year ago, Andrew McGinley has seen rapid growth, traction, engagement with the NHS for his care matching service, Caresourcer. In this week's podcast Andrew talks to us about the challenges of running a venture capital funded fast growth tech startup


What is Caresourcer?
It is the first comparison and matching service for care seekers. Andrew used his experience as a care at home provider in Edinburgh. Sometimes people can call up to 20+ providers to find provision. Andrew recognised this was very inefficient and created Caresourcer as a solution.

Andrew McGinley CEO of Caresourcer

When care-seekers search, it is normally a point of crisis. They need something soon. They may be the sandwich generation – looking after their own kids and well as their parents.

Caresourcer determine what really matters, quality of care, location, available time they have to visit your house, price. Caresourcer provide consistent metrics for these.

Care is a late adopter of operation and delivery of care technology. Caresourcer is a dating site. The timing is now right. The market factors are: delayed discharge pressures on the NHS, more people wanting care, ageing population, pinching budgets from local authorities putting pressure on providers.

It is both care at home and care home provision. Care needs fluctuate and grow. The advantage of Caresourcer is both provisions are offered. Additionally, they are starting to offer advice on how financially to approach care provision. Understandably for many, there is a fear that assets will degrade very substantially to pay for care.
A typical care-seeker – what is their customer journey like?

A very interesting journey
Waves of the same emotions coming through
Realisation stage – parent doesn’t make the bed anymore. Simple things are noticed.
Research mode – start asking people they know what they experienced. Also, more regular visits to the GP. They go on Google to search out information.
People go to Local Auths, hospital admissions.
The typical age of a seeker and client – Care Seeker 50-60 years, Female; Service User/Client +25 years older or so.

Caresourcer has concluded investment. So, they are raising their presence throughout the UK. The English market has more focus on self-funded care seekers. They have agreements with St Marys, London and NHS Gloucestershire.

This is providing both an urban and rural settings. There is a lot of similarities where the pinch points are. These trusts are acute hospital trusts, their priority is to empty beds (in an appropriate care setting).

There is a physical cost of staying longer in NHS beds. Not being as mobile.
A Startup Story
June 2016 they launched! Within a few weeks, BUPA signed up their homes. They have a very good relationship with BUPA. It helps that both directors Andrews – McGinley and Parfery, had experience in care. McGinley approached Parfery in December 2015, and presented a proof of concept. Parfery sold his business to the largest care home business in the UK. They make a good team. McGinley is creative and Parfery is the commercial head. They are both Celtic supporters.
The UK care market
The UK care market is £22bn.

They are more focused in the self-funded sector. 40% of the market. About 600,000 annually fall into that bracket. Scotland offers free personal care in Scotland. Only for Care at Home.

It is not just an old person product. Disability sufferers are also catered for.
How do clients search for care?
There is a natural search for Care Homes initially. Meals on Wheels, Nursing Home comes up.

What they have found is these searchers NEED TO SPEAK to someone.

By 2020 every school leaver must become care providers. Andrew says we need to embrace other ways to perform care. It has been a time and task solution hitherto. Medication dispensers, alarms, wearable technology etc.

Social care is under-funded, Andrew says. Care homes do not make fortunes.

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