http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/

Download the report from the Department of Health website.

There is also a link to a resource document (and/or website?) which is not functioning correctly at the time of posting.

Ron Salmon, 75, whose badly decomposing corpse was found by horrified Broxbourne Council workers at his flat in quiet Laburnum Close, had a pull cord community alarm at his home, which he could press in case of an emergency.

Full story

‘…enough pilot studies have now achieved positive results for telecare to be moved into the mainstream when planning long-term care for the elderly. The Review endorses current government policy in this regard, which is consistent with this recommendation. Funding should be deployed to realise the potential net value of telecare.’

References to telecare are sprinkled throughout the report which, helpfully, maintains a distinction between the terms ‘telecare’, ‘telehealth’ and ‘assistive technology’. Thankfully, the latter is used in its wide sense, including equipment such as stairlifts. (See our webpage What is telecare?)

However, telecare has a substantial 5 page section to itself (pages 155 – 160 (190 – 195 in the PDF version)) which considers the subject in a balanced way, going into some detail on cost benefit modelling (see our webpage Business Cases).

It also touches on other concerns: ‘Since loneliness is a big issue in old age, it might seem contrarian to promote technology which could reduce interaction with carers. But proponents of telecare argue that it can allow a redeployment of carer time, with a shift of resources towards more meaningful interactions. Given that an ‘intensive’ care package is usually defined as domiciliary care of more than 10 hours a week, that leaves many hours when telecare can complement formal care rather than substituting for it.’

In the future this report will undoubtedly be recognised as a turning point in the perception of telecare as a mainstream component of care services, and it was heartening to hear Minister Liam Byrne in his Radio 4 Today interview this morning refer twice to telecare and for James Naughtie not ask what it was!

Here are the links you need:

Kings Fund website to download full report and/or Chapter 9, which includes the main telecare section. There is a telecare background paper in the appendix to the report, which is not yet available on the site.

Radio 4 Today listen again. Navigate to today’s program and find the interview with Derek Wanless at 08.10 (2 hours 10 minutes into the whole broardcast) and Liam Byrne at 08.30 (2 hours 36 minutes in).

The publication coincides with the release of the Delivery and Improvement Statement (DIS), Adult Social Care 2005/06 – Guidance Document, by the Commission for Social Care Inspection, which references telecare in section 2.15

The determination does not say anything new, but reinforces certain messages. Core to these are:

‘Whilst the funding will go to all councils in England with social service responsibilities, they are expected to work with partners in the NHS, housing and district authorities, voluntary and independent sectors and service users and carers in developing telecare services. Telecare will be most effective where implemented as an integrated service.

‘…effective use of this grant will help local authorities and their partners to achieve key PSA targets…In addition, the CSCI Delivery and Improvement Statement will monitor the number of people benefitting from telecare since introduction of this grant. Councils should note well the contents of this circular.

‘Although this grant funding is primarily aimed at supporting older people, the Government’s vision is for telecare and other new technologies to be used, where appropriate, for the benefit of people of all ages including those with long-term conditions, learning disabilities, mental health problems and those needing end of life care.

‘Service strategies and policies for telecare should be formulated so that people with differing levels of need…can have the choice to remain at home whenever possible.

‘This grant is not intended to be treated as replacement funding for existing resources, including revenue funding for community alarms through the supporting People programme for example, in sheltered housing.’

Download from here

DIS Guidance 2005/06

Section 2.15 asks for baseline figures for 2005/06, and projections of numbers of people 2006/07 and 2007/08.

Download from here

In short, Alertacall is offering to help councils to meet half the population target they are supposed to contribute to the national total of 160,000 people to benefit from telecare, for a cost equivalent to just 4% of their Preventative Technology Grant. The proposal is that this will go a long way on the preventative front and will, at the same time, increase the relative amount available to spend on the other people in whom councils want to invest their PTG funding.

The Alertacall system is at the ‘low sophistication’ end of the telecare spectrum – hence its low cost – but, we suspect, meets a real need for many of the more independent older and disabled people and their relatives.

Alertacall seems to have provided lots of support materials on its site to help councils implement a publicity campaign. However, our readers can judge for themselves, as we have been given permission to make the site username and password available to you.

Follow this link and note the username and password before clicking on the button.

Read Docobo’s press release