Issue - meetings

To seek Cabinet approval to begin a project to consider an alternative solution for Speech Call Units and the Lifeline Service.

Members considered the implementation of a project to provide an alternative solution for Speech Call Units and the Lifeline Service. There were many possibilities for improving the service offered to tenants and private customers and also to ensure that the service to private customers was financially viable going forward. Some of the new services would allow customers to use their pendants outside of the home. As these do not rely on hard-wired technology, customers could contact the service centre whenever they required assistance. In comparison, the current service only works within the home. There were also additional services to be considered, such as monitoring of customer activity and mobility, which would allow the service centre to identify a potential issue rather than wait for the customer to report it.

It was stated that reports would be submitted to Cabinet during the length of the project and alternatives to the long-standing provider, Tunstall Healthcare, were becoming popular.

            RESOLVED that a project to investigate alternatives to the current arrangements for Speech Call Units and Lifeline Services be approved.

Reason

This review was in accordance with the Council’s corporate values of continuous improvement and delivering value for money.