Telecare in Partnership - Project Details

Funded through the Joint Working Grant, a Telecare/Telehealth Co-ordinator has been recruited working across all partner agencies.  The Co-ordinator will be in post until March 2008 when Telecare/Telehealth will start to be implemented throughout Denbighshire.
The role of the Telecare Co-ordinator is to meet the aims and objectives of the Telecare in Partnership Project.  These are to:

• Map existing services and organisations which could accommodate Telecare to better meet people’s care and support needs.

• Undertake preparatory work to ensure the technological foundation, policies and procedures and professional awareness have been established prior to implementation of a Telecare Strategy.

• Assist with the development of a comprehensive local Telecare Strategy, in partnership with Housing, Health and Social Services in Conwy and Denbighshire, building particularly on the partnership to date with Conwy Careline and the partnership between Contract Services and the Disability Equipment Store.

• Produce a training project plan to ensure that all practitioners in all sectors have the opportunity to be aware that the assessment for Telecare is integral to the assessment process.

• Support the development of Telecare/Telehealth pilots across a range of service areas, e.g, Older People, Learning Disability, Physical Disability, Long Term Conditions, Falls Strategy, Intermediate Care etc. including communication with and involvement of carers and carers groups.

• Develop links with initially the Denbighshire Disability Equipment Store to ensure efficient & effective management of the Telecare equipment.

• Promote awareness of the opportunities and the broad range of Telecare systems that help people to overcome physical, sensory and cognitive problems and to manage the associated risks.

• Contribute to reports, detailing the achievements of the project and identify the issues and risks relating to change management and present findings to the Steering Group for the project.

• Deliver regular and clear exception reports on the status of this project to the Health, Social Care and Well-being Strategic Partnership Board and to other statutory bodies as required.

• Utilise best practice from other areas where appropriate.

A number of Key Groups have been established to drive forward the Telecare/health project these include:

HOUSING COMMISSIONING GROUP - As part of the Health, Social Care & Well-being structures this group will report to the Denbighshire Older People’s Partnership Board, the Physical and Sensory Impairment Group and the Strategic Planning Group for Learning Disabilities.  The Group will act as a Steering Group for the development of Telecare/Telehealth services within Denbighshire.

FRONTLINE ADVISORY PANEL (Initially focusing on Telecare/Telehealth) - To raise awareness amongst professionals providing a channel for any issues, concerns and/or ideas to be addressed.

TIME LIMITED SENIOR TASK & FINISH GROUP - Will lead in the developments of Pilots within Telecare/Telehealth, to enable the development/planning of pilot schemes funded through Joint Working Grant slippage as part of the change process and to establish protocols and care pathways.

STAKEHOLDER FORUM - A forum where members can exchange information on related developments initially focussing on Telecare/Telehealth. (Forum to be convened following a stakeholder event on the 2nd May)

Please click here for details of project structure.

Telecare offers efficient and unobtrusive support and it has the ability to:

• Enable people to be maintained at home wherever possible.

• Maximise their independence and potential and

• Enable them to be supported, with dignity, in a safe environment.