Agenda item

Kirsty Everson, Director of Independent Living presented the submitted report which provided a progress update on the roll out of Assistive Technology, summarised the learning from the Preventative Technology Grant (PTG) Project and identified the next steps being taken.

The key achievements were:

• Creation of an assistive technology smart flat at Grafton House, which has allowed NAS to evaluate the effectiveness of dedicated properties enhanced with a suite of assistive technology.  Whilst the flats offer suitable accommodation for clients with a multitude of needs, the key challenge was moving the customer to other, more suitable accommodation.  During the PTG project the smart flat was effectively bed blocked, on two occasions by customers.

• Undertaking trials on temperature extreme monitors, during the winter of 2009, one of the coldest on record.  Temperature extreme monitors were deployed to ensure customers remained warm in their home.  Whilst only limited alarm activations occurred this had led onto further work with Sheffield University and the Keeping Warm in Later Life Project (KWILLT).  Further work was now underway with telecare suppliers to reduce the parameters of the sensor and target even more vulnerable customers.

• Deployment of over 250 Bogus Caller Alarms in an initial trial, which in turn had led to additional funding from the JAG and South Yorkshire Police for further trials.

Surveys undertaken during December 2008 and January 2009 suggested that customers felt safer by having the technology installed in their property. 

• Just Checking launch, with Rothercare now undertaking the installation element of the operation.  This had resulted in increased interest by social worker teams to use this recently developed technology, which enabled the social worker or family member to monitor the daily acitivities of a customer, to provide additional assessment data or simply to ensure that they were carrying out their normal daily routines without requiring intervention.

• 40 Big button telephones were procured and issued to the sensory team to assist visual impaired clients.  Whilst being the cheapest item procured through the project, they have assisted visually impaired clients to remain independent.

• 10,000 electronic clients’ records were successfully transferred from the old Rothercare system, Tunstall PNC4 to the new ICT platform, Jontek Answer Link 3g.  This was carried out without a break in live service to customers and the technology has benefited both staff and customers.  Staff were able to undertake functions such as effective stock control and easier reporting.  Other components to be procured for the Jontek system such as the integrated voice recording system would allow all calls to be recorded at the click of a button.  The call could then be played back in real time and evaluated, to allow opportunities for better staff training through quality controlling calls and ensuring that customer request had been met.

During the project various internal departments and external organisations were approached to ensure that the full spectrum of customers were engaged and had the opportunity to benefit from assistive technology.

Next Steps – Building on lessons learnt it had been identified that assistive technology offered a cost effective alternative to traditional care packages.  Additional funding of £225,000 from the Mid Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) had been achieved by NAS and would be used to build on the success of the PTG.

The Joint Commissioning Team had been identified to lead on expenditure and would work with partner agencies to forge closer relationships.  It had been realised that this could not be achieved from existing resources so a dedicated post to fulfil the telecare agenda was being advertised and this post was now in the process of being recruited.

The new telecare post would work in tandem with Rothercare, joint commissioners, social workers, health professionals and other partner organisations to ensure that innovative ways of deploying telecare were maintained and an outcome focussed approach to the delivery of telecare was achieved.  The remit of the telecare post would also involve the promotion of assistive technology through social workers teams to ensure that the delivery of telecare remained at the heart of any social care package.

Resolved:- (1) That the progress being made be noted.

(2) That a copy of the report be presented to the next Adult Services and Health Scrutiny Panel.