Have your say on telecare in Lancashire
Lancashire residents who use Telecare are being invited to share their views on proposed new charges to cover increasing costs of running this service.
A six-week consultation, which begins today (Tuesday 19 July), gives people the opportunity to have their say online or by returning a written questionnaire, which is being sent to everyone who has signed-up to Telecare.
Carers, people who work in social care and the public can also have their say.
The Lancashire County Council service is run by Progress Lifeline and it helps people who may need support to live safely and independently at home.
Digital devices enable people to call for assistance when they have a problem. Some devices can generate automatic alerts in certain situations; for example, if a person has a fall or there is a gas leak.
These alerts are passed straight through to a call monitoring centre, where trained staff can talk to telecare clients and establish what support is needed. If assistance is needed, the monitoring centre will contact a family member or send the mobile response team to the person's home to check on their wellbeing.
The county council is proposing to introduce charges so it can afford to pay the increasing costs of running the service, including the move from analogue to digital telephone lines, the new equipment that is needed and SIM charges.
County Councillor Graham Gooch, cabinet member for adult social care, said: "We are facing increased costs as the number of people using Telecare has grown and expect further increases due to the telephone service digital switchover.
"We are also aware of other similar technology, which people can use for free or at a lower cost.
"We have been keen to learn from what other authorities are doing and have researched similar schemes before putting forward these proposals.
“Currently, Lancashire County Council is the only authority in the North West that does not charge any residents for a telecare and mobile response service. The average charge for this service in other local authorities is £5.51."
The proposals are to introduce three levels of charges for users of the Telecare service to choose from:
- £4.00 a week - A nominated family member or friend will be contacted when the person presses their pendant alarm or there is an emergency
- £5.50 per week – A mobile responder from Progress Lifeline will be sent out to visit the person if they press their pendant alarm or there is an emergency
- £9.00 per week – As well as a mobile responder responding to an emergency call, the client can have up to 2 wellbeing visits or calls per week
The new charges will apply to existing and new clients.
County Councillor Gooch added: “We’re proposing that new users being discharged home from hospital will have a free six-week trial of the service. This will encourage them to sign-up if they feel telecare is suitable for their care needs.
"Telecare is currently only available to people who have had a social work assessment, but we're also proposing to make the service available to everyone.
“We want everyone who has an interest in Telecare to take part in this consultation.
"Your views will be crucial and help us to ensure we can continue to offer this important service, which supports so many people to live independently in their own home in the future.”
The deadline for people to have their say is 5pm on Friday 2 September.
They can fill in the form on Charging for telecare – public consultation - Lancashire County Council or return their completed questionnaire to the freepost address.
Notes to editors
- The digital Telecare equipment will be provided, delivered, installed and maintained free of charge by Lancashire County Council.
- Any charges will be reviewed annually when the authority sets its budget, fees and charges.
- Lancashire County Council is looking at alternative ways to recover the costs of running some of its services that are currently provided for free, including telecare.
- The county council will coordinate and oversee the delivery of telecare devices and the service but will charge all households for its use.
- The service will be made available to all, regardless of Care Act eligibility.
- People will be offered three tiers of service each with a different level of charge.
- People will be able to cancel the service and pay nothing.
- The level of charge will be the same no matter how many pieces of equipment are installed in a household or issued.
- All telecare equipment will remain the property of the Council.
- The monitoring and response charge will remain the same no matter how little or often an alert is raised, or the mobile responder is deployed (level 2 and 3 only).
- Telecare will be charged at a flat weekly rate per household. The charge will be payable on a four-weekly basis.
- Only those current customers who receive other social care services will be charged a means tested fee dependant on their chosen level of service.
- All future service users, regardless of their eligible social care need or their financial assessment will pay a non-means tested weekly fee.