Issue - meetings

To receive a presentation from the Council’s Adult Services on the use of telecare to help prevent avoidable admissions to hospital from vulnerable people with long term medical conditions.

The Panel received evidence from Lesley Prince and Paulette Blake from the Council’s Community Alarm Service and David Souter from Tunstall

The Panel noted that the Service had been supporting elderly and vulnerable people in the Borough since the 1980’s. This was done by monitoring emergency calls via a warden’s call out system for people living in Supported Housing and dispersed units for people living in their own homes. It has expanded over the years and currently supported up to 4500 people within Haringey.

Following improvements in information technology, the government set up the Preventative Technology Grant scheme to expand services that were provided.  This was done in order to encourage the greater use of such technology and create greater links between local authority social service departments and other organisations and individuals that support individuals, such as occupational therapists, integrated care teams, home care agencies, Housing Association supported housing officers, district nurses, community matrons and GP’s.

In Haringey, people were now considered for telecare as part of assessments that had been undertaken in response to referrals.  The scheme aimed to;

·        Reduce hospital admissions and readmissions

·        Reduce dependence on care services and families

·        Provide security in the home and enable greater independence.

·        Reduce anxiety

·        Improve the quality of life for patients and informal carers

·        Delay the move into long-term residential care.

The basic systems just involved a button that was carried around the neck and could be pushed by clients in the event of an emergency.  This was connected to a telephone line and would alert relevant staff.  There were also a range of other sensors such as ones that detected movement, flood, carbon monoxide, falls, property exit and epilepsy.  The equipment was battery operated and did not require hard wiring.  It provided a warning to the control room when batteries were low.

Door exit sensors were particularly effective for individuals with increasing dementia, which could be exacerbated when they were removed from home into residential care. The sensor monitored when the client left the home.  If and when they did, a call was generated and received in the Control Room, where appropriate action was taken. 

The funding that was allocated to local authorities from the Preventative Technology Grant was generally intended for the purchase of equipment.  However, it was important for the applications to be supported by appropriate staff.  Haringey’s system was backed up by a call centre that was covered around the clock and based at Woodside House on Wood Green High Road.  There was also a response service which ensured that calls were acted upon.  Some local authorities had installed systems but did not have the support systems to respond effectively to calls.

The basic cost to the client was £5.95 per week for the alarm on its own.  Additional items were charged at 50p. per two items.  Each local authority had its own way of charging.  The service tried to keep the cost low and had taken advice on fair charging.  In addition to direct benefits to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30