Agenda item

The Committee are asked to note the contents of the report.

The Committee received a report on Assistive Technology improving outcomes.  This was to give the Committee an overview of how assistive technology i.e. TeleCare and TeleHealth, was being developed through a set of projects as part of the Havering 2014 Adults Transformation programme.

Officers explained that the technology changed rapidly, and the installation of the technology promoted peace of mind and independence to the client and their families.  As of 30 September 2011, there were around 3,200 users of assistive technology in Havering.  In 2010 Havering had joined the London Assistive Technology Project along with 12 other boroughs.  The aim of the programme was to place TeleCare and TeleHealth at the centre of care provision through cross borough working to share best practice and develop new initiatives.  Havering had actively participated in the programme and a wide range of projects had been put in place.  These included:

• Reorganisation of the TeleCare and Careline service to improve focus on service standards, such as responding to alarms, and a wider range of equipment was being used across a growing number of customers.
• Adult Social Care staff and colleagues working in health had been involved in workshop events to improve their understanding of the benefits assistive technology can provide and their confidence in including equipment in care packages. 
• A demonstration facility had been set up at Yew Tree Resource Centre for both the public and staff to use to gain an improved understanding of assistive technology devices
• A marketing campaign to raise awareness and interest from the public.

Bids had been made earlier in the year for funding to NHS Havering under the NHS Support for Social Care Programme.  This was to support three additional projects with the overarching objective of driving forward specific initiatives to improve outcomes and deliver efficiencies across both social care and health.  These projects were:

• Purposeful walking, supporting people with dementia.  This would use TeleCare and GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) devices to enable participants diagnosed with dementia to safely leave and return to their home environment.  This would promote greater independence and improve health and wellbeing.  It would also reduce the impact and stress on carers.

• Supporting long term and complex conditions.  This would use Assistive Technology solutions for people with long term conditions; high support needs and/or people with learning difficulties.  This would enable people to be maintained in less institutional settings in the community and reduce levels of support needed.

• Rapid response installation team.  This would establish a specialist team able to install a range of TeleCare/TeleHealth solutions, designed to support elderly or disabled people, being discharged from hospital or identified as “at risk” in their own home, within a 12 hour target following assessment and referral.  This would allow the discharge from hospital to be quicker and ensure that the home was a safe environment.

The Committee were given details of the anticipated benefits from the three projects.  These included both the successes for the client and the business benefits.

Officers explained that under the NHS for Social Care project, they were also moving to TeleHealth alongside TeleCare.  This included a pilot of 40 clients with ongoing illnesses, the system would measure their vital signs twice a day and if necessary alert a nurse if further assistance was needed.    In the first 3 weeks of the trial there had been very positive feedback and no anxiety. Members asked about the cost of the equipment.  Officers explained that it equated to around £1000 per year, however a hospital admission would be more costly.  Officers explained that all equipment was tested yearly and reused.

The Committee then viewed a number of devices which were available.  These included:

• Bogus Caller Button
• Smoke Detector and Carbon Monoxide Detector
• Falls Detector
• Flood Detector
• Temperature Extreme Sensor
• Door Sensor
• Medicine Dispenser
• Watch linked to pendant including GPS

Officers explained that there were three items issued for £6 a week.

The Committee noted the report and thanked the officers for their time