The UK faces a number of challenges, one of which is the increasing number of elderly people who require care, ranging from company, domestic assistance, and personal services to simple medical procedures, but who want to live at home. It is also certain that the government will not have the economic recourses to meet even a fraction of the demand.
GATC proposes that charities supporting elderly people should make an optional offer to their members to become Partners of the GATC pension scheme, which is based on the number of hours of service they give to GATC. In principle, every hour spent on the care and support objectives of the organisation earns a “care credit” which is deposited in a special bank account, using an alternative currency called GATs. This currency has no monetary value, although it can be gifted to family or friends or returned to GATC for an emergency fund. The primary purpose is to build up a balance of GATs over a period which, when the need arises, are used to service a care pension for the Partner.
The scheme, which has a national H.Q., is totally independent of the state, business, or charities. Mutuality and independence from government, charity or business support are the basic principles that make GATC care pension sustainable and not subject to any external policy change.
The basic principles of GATC reflect the triple bottom line framework whereby social, environmental and financial resources are innovatively integrated to maximise the benefits for all three:
- Social: GATC makes the community better integrated by not simply promoting volunteering but asserting that ‘looking after each other is the only way forward’
- Environmental: The local provision of care represents an option that can be close to be carbon footprint neutral
- Financial: GATC is sustainable by promoting intergenerational reciprocal care that is not subject to inflation and does not weigh on the government expenditure.
The IT infrastructure required by the project will be developed in collaboration with the East of England Co-op. GATC has also received a Smart Lab Innovation award from Sheffield City Council where GATC is likely to launch.
A scheme of this nature may be the only way in which our society will be able to safeguard the quality of life of an ageing population, in a climate of increasing requirement, adverse economic conditions and the erosion of money provision by inflation.
Dr Gabriella Spinelli - Gabriella Spinelli is Reader in Healthcare Design and Innovation at the Brunel Design School, College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences. She holds a Laurea in Human Computer Interaction, a PhD in Computer Science, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (FHEA). Her research, spanning over two decades, focuses on Human Factors and User-Centred Design applied to complex socio-technical systems, with over 60 peer-reviewed journal and conference publications. Her research portfolio includes interdisciplinary projects across the public and third sectors. Notable projects include the analysis of police command and control room operations in collaboration with the National Police Intelligence Agency (EPSRC, £75k); long-term research on technology adoption and inclusive product design for ageing populations (ESRC, £520k; DAIWA Foundation, £15k); and the development of intuitive product-service systems for later life (Design Council, £25k; Research Councils UK, £40k). She has led applied research into community currencies and their role in reimagining social care and sustainable economic exchange (Innovate UK, £1M), as well as the development and evaluation of digital complementary currencies aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (FORMAS, £2M). In healthcare, her work includes the design and evaluation of inclusive, intuitive, and sustainable medical products (AHRC, £25k; NHS Charity, £60k; NHS England, £48k; POGP, £9k).
Her current research centres on strategic design and regulatory innovation in digital health. She is Principal Investigator of RADIANT-CERSI (Centre for Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation) in Transformative Digital Health and AI, funded by the MRC (£1M), and leads additional programmes on innovation leadership in the NHS (Innovate UK, £250k), inclusive participation in clinical trials (NIHR, £260k) for sustainable health innovation models.
She is named inventor on two medical device patents and co-founder of a start-up focused on women’s health. Gabriella co-directs the Centre for Research into Smart Technologies for Health and Rehabilitation (STAHR) and serves as Director of Innovation and Digital Health for the Brunel Partners Academic Centre for Health Sciences (BPACHS). She leads the Design for Health programme, facilitating co-development of clinically relevant innovations through NHS, medtech, and academic collaboration.
In addition to her academic roles, she serves as Scientific Advisor to the UK Home Office (HOSAC), is a member of the EPSRC Peer Review College, Associate Editor of the Journal of Design for Augmented Humanity, and sits on the Organising Committee of the BMJ Future Health Conference. She is also a member of the Research and Innovation Steering Committee at Hillingdon Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and advisor to NeuroMind XR.