Improvements planned for Hartlepool telecare service to help most vulnerable residents

Hartlepool Borough Council’s telecare provision offers a wide range of equipment and services designed to help residents live more safely at home.

The service provides a range of sensors or monitors such as property exit sensors, falls detectors, bed sensors, smoke alarm sensors, carbon monoxide sensors, and flood detectors which activate calls to the call centre when triggered.

Users must have an assessed care need to access the service.

A report from the director of adult and community based services at the council, Jill Harrison, states they are looking to draw up a new plan to improve the service and the technology used.

It said: “A review of the current service has shown that the technology currently being used is becoming obsolete and that there have been significant technological advances over the last few years.

“The current contract does not give enough flexibility to use these more progressive technological solutions.

“It is therefore proposed that the council develops a new service specification and undertakes a procurement exercise.”

Principles for the future service model include that people should be able to access up to six weeks of telecare support free of charge, and an expert in technology is needed to provide the service.

It also states a flexible approach is needed to future proof the service and take advantage of new technological solutions.

A menu of services will be developed based on Bronze, Silver and Gold levels of service. This will be the same offer if the service is contracted directly by individuals and families rather than via personal budgets.

The council currently has a rolling contract with Thirteen to provide the technology and initial response, or call handling, for the telecare service.

The plans to improve the telecare service had been outlined before the recent coronavirus outbreak, and were due to go before the adult and community based services committee before the outbreak forced the cancellation of council meetings.

However council chiefs have been taking a number of additional steps to protect and support vulnerable people from the Covid-19 pandemic in recent weeks.

This has included the launch of the Hartlepool Support Hub organised by the council in partnership with other organisations to support anyone self-isolating or unable to leave their home during the coronavirus outbreak.

To date it has taken more than 1,000 calls and delivered over 200 food parcels.

Council chiefs have also brought in new measures to ensure green and grey bins can continue to be emptied safely in Hartlepool, with a number of local authority workers temporarily re-deployed to help with the service.

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