What this consultation is about
We provide funding for community alarm and telecare systems to support older and vulnerable people to live safely and independently at home for as long as possible.
Community alarms are a pendant that you wear which is linked to a base unit which summons assistance via your phone line. If an alarm is triggered an operator may speak to you via a loud speaker on the base unit in your home.
Telecare equipment is more specialist and used by fewer people. The equipment can monitor whether you have fallen or they may monitor gas levels or flooding in the home.
We’re looking closely at all our services to ensure they are as efficient as possible, offer value for money and continue to support those people who need it most.
For some services, this will mean taking a different approach to how they are run or funded in future.
This consultation is to seek the views of Derbyshire residents about a number of changes we’re proposing to the community alarm and telecare service.
Proposals
Continue to provide community alarm and telecare equipment free of charge to everyone but service monitoring and maintenance charges may be paid for by the client following a financial assessment.
Change the criteria so that only those people who are assessed as being eligible to receive services under the Care Act 2014 receive community alarms and telecare services for free.
People who currently receive housing benefit or pension credit may remain eligible to receive community alarms and telecare services for free but only if they meet the Care Act 2014 criteria. Following the assessment, there may be a requirement for them to pay towards these services.
People will be assessed to see if they need to contribute to ongoing monitoring and maintenance costs. Some people may be able to use their personal budget to pay for the service.
Self-funding clients who are not eligible for financial support and who have been provided with telecare equipment free of charge would be required to pay the full costs of monitoring and maintenance.
If a self-funding client becomes eligible for financial support under the Care Act 2014 they could use their personal budget to pay for ongoing monitoring and maintenance.
Telecare and community alarm equipment and monitoring would be provided free for people – whether eligible under the Care Act or not – for a period of 6 weeks to enable them to return home from the hospital. If they were subsequently assessed as needing the equipment it would be under the terms listed.
This consultation is now closed. A report was presented to Cabinet 6 June 2019, agenda item 15