Assistive Technology and Telecare

Assistive technology and Telecare can be provided:

1. As part of a Reablement / Rehabilitation service; or
2. To support hospital discharges; or
3. Alongside services to meet on ongoing care and support needs; or
4. Independent from all of the above.

It is available to people who live in:

1. Their own home;
2. Rented accommodation (including Local Authority accommodation);
3. Supported living (where the premises’ existing technology allows for additional telecare technology to be added);
4. Extra Care (where the premises’ existing technology allows for additional telecare technology to be added);
5. Shared lives placements.

If a person lives in residential or nursing care and requires Telecare or digital technology, this would normally be the responsibility of the home to provide. The Telecare and Lifeline service can assess what telecare equipment is required, supply and fit this, but will then bill the Home for the equipment and time.

If a person living in residential care requires other assistive technology, this may be provided by Occupational Therapists/OT Assistants or allied Health professionals if it is assessed as necessary and above what would be reasonable for the Home to provide. Nursing Homes are expected to provide the necessary equipment themselves.

All forms of assistive technology may be self-purchased (for instance using the council's AskSARA online self-assessment tool. See: AskSARA), or it may be provided by Social Care or Health following assessment to meet needs. If a person feels they have social care needs, they should call 0800 561 0015 to request an assessment.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has an in-house 24/7 team that provides quality telecare and digital technology service to Stoke-on-Trent residents. The roles of the team include:

1. A tech team who provide, fit and maintain Telecare equipment to meet people’s needs;
2. A call-handling team who are ready 24/7 to answer any incoming activations and ensure the right help is sent whenever needed;
3. A responder team (trained by St John Ambulance) who can attend if a client needs assistance short of an ambulance callout (for instance if they have fallen and can’t get up). For more information, please see the website;
4. A business support team to book visits, arrange billing and deal with any queries.

For new clients wishing to contact the Telecare and Lifeline Service, please call 01782 234545 or email telecare@stoke.gov.uk. 

Existing Telecare users can also use these to, for example, report a fault, ask a question or request removal of the Telecare when no longer needed, or they can press their pendant and call through directly to the team.

Where a person is assessed by social care as needing Telecare, this is provided with no ongoing cost (just a one-off service cost at the point of setup). Similarly, Telecare can be provided following an assessment by Health professionals, though in this case the service will only be provided for 6 months (extendable to 12 months). Alternatively, people can choose to self-fund their telecare service.

For information about current prices see: Telecare.

Stoke-on-Trent’s Telecare webpage has a good source of information about Telecare.

See: Telecare.

People who wish to access assistive technology can self-assess and see what equipment is available for purchase by using the council's AskSARA online self-assessment tool. 

See: AskSARA.