TELECARE/ Alarm responding centre/ Analogue to Digital Switchover

Sheila Anne Mughal made this Freedom of Information request to Incommunities Housing Association
This authority is not subject to FOI law, so is not legally obliged to respond (details).
This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

The request was refused by Incommunities Housing Association.

Sheila Anne Mughal

Dear Incommunities Housing Association,
I am writing to make an open government request for all the information to which I am entitled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Could I possibly suggest that you direct these questions towards one or some of the following employees: - Assistive Technologies Manager/ Lead, Service delivery manager, assisted living/housing association dept, Care Home support, adult services, Service manager, Contact centre Manager – or similar roles to those listed above.

If you share this request – please do so in HTML as then the text boxes can be ticked
In order to assist with this survey, could you please answer the following:

1a. Does your organisation presently provide a Telecare operations centre (ARC) to monitor personal alarms (e.g., Falls alarms) for your local vulnerable population &/or local authority?


YES

NO

UNCERTAIN

1b. IF the answer is NO or UNCERTAIN - is this a service you may consider offering in the future?


YES

NO

UNCERTAIN

If the answer to 1a) & 1b) is NO or uncertain – this is the end of the FOI request. Thank you for your response.

IF the answer to 1a) is YES please reply to all the questions below.

2a. Do you use an external provider or other government body or private organisation for alarm responder/monitoring services? If so, can you please detail: -


NO -We provide this service ourselves -managed in-house

YES – we use an external provider

2b. If an external provider is used, please give name of monitoring centre/ provider with any contract start/end date & contact details if known.

2c. If you provide this on behalf of other organisations, please list these organisations &/or areas of the UK you cover?

3a. What type of devices are used in the community? If you can name device supplier/manufacturer this would be appreciated.


Mostly Analogue

Mostly Digital

Types of devices: -

4. What protocols do your devices use?

5a. Are you presently preparing for the digital switchover?


YES

NO

UNCERTAIN

5b. If the answer is NO or uncertain, have you any plans to move to a digital platform and if so have you a plan to go out to procurement/tender for such a platform in the next 2 years?

Response -

6 Could you please indicate which software platform is used in the monitoring centre you use?


Not known

Tunstall PNC

UMO Enovation

Jontek

Bosh/Telealarm

ArchAngel

Chubb

Appello

Bold Communications

Neat

Azursoft

ESI

T21

STT0DM8

ENAI

SELMA

Other not named – please give details in text box below

7. As regards the above – do you know when the contract end date is &/or when the software platform used will be under review?

Response -

8. Have you any concerns about your present service? Some possible common concerns listed below, but please feel free to comment –


Ability for call handlers to work remotely during this present lock & maybe future down phase.

The analogue to digital switch-over and how suppliers can play catch up & do you see disruption/challenges in replacing older analogue devices?

Safety of lone workers

Service costs/ budget restrictions

Security of email and chat when discussion client confidential data

Infrastructure costs – considering move to hosted solution

Restriction on choice of alarm devices which could be used

Support and customer service concerns

Alarm signals – failure rates

Concerns re moving from platform supplier & reprogramming individual units

Lack of responder app capability for remote workers

Ease of use & training new starters

Device management/ stock control

Other issues/concerns not listed –

8a – any additional comments re the above possible concerns?
Response -

9. What tender framework/ portal does your organisation use for procurement re Telecare devices/services and software?
Response -

10. Do you know (approximately) how many device connections you have?

11. Who is the main person(s)/ decision maker (s) or team – who would be responsible for your Telecare monitoring centre &/or telecare services - name/title/direct dial number/email?

Response -

12. Any other comments as deemed useful to this enquiry?

Response

THANK YOU -
If this request is too wide or unclear, I would be grateful if you could contact me as I understand that under the Act, you are required to advise and assist requesters. If any of this information is already in the public domain, please can you direct me to it, with page references and URLs if necessary. If the release of any of this information is prohibited on the grounds of breach of confidence, I ask that you supply me with copies of the confidentiality agreement and remind you that information should not be treated as confidential if such an agreement has not been signed.
I understand that you are required to respond to my request within the 20 working days after you receive this letter, excluding public holidays. I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request.
I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Sheila Anne Mughal

N0-REPLY, Incommunities Housing Association

Thank you for emailing Incommunities. If your query is with regard to an
emergency repair please contact us on 0330 175 9540, otherwise we will
respond to your email within 24 working hours.

Keeping you and our colleagues safe is our priority. Precautions remain in
place when visiting homes and we are asking customers to maintain social
distance and stay in an alternative room whilst operatives carry out their
work.

If there is any covid related reason why we should not attend your
property, it is vital that you let us know.

Disclaimer

This e-mail and any attachment(s) is/are sent from the offices of
Incommunities Limited registered in England and trading as Incommunities.
Details of Incommunities Limited can be obtained from their registered
offices at The Quays, Victoria Street, Shipley, West Yorkshire BD17 7BN.
Company registration number is 4221767. The information contained in the
e-mail/attachment(s) is intended for the addressee(s) identified above and
may be confidential and/or legally privileged. If you are not the
addressee of this e-mail, please inform the sender immediately and destroy
this e-mail. Do not copy, use or disclose this e-mail. No contracts may be
concluded on behalf of INCOMMUNITIES Limited by means of e-mail
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Data Protection Helpdesk, Incommunities Housing Association

4 Attachments

Dear Ms Mughal,

 

Incommunities Ltd is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act as we
are not a public body, therefore we are unable to assist you.

 

Kind regards

Cathy Chattaway
Strategic Business Lead Legal & Governance

Incommunities Ltd

 

)   07789926719

*  [email address]

 

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: [2]www.incommunities.co.uk

+    The Quays, Victoria Street, Shipley, BD17 7BN

(    0330 175 9540

 

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Please note my working days are Monday-Thursday

 

Incommunities office at the Quays is currently  closed to the public and
will remain closed until further notice. We would like to reassure you
that it is business as usual and it is our intention to keep our services
running for as long as is possible.  We will continue to follow government
advice and we have contingency plans in place for home working, should
they be needed.  

 

 

From: [Incommunities Housing Association request email] <[Incommunities Housing Association request email]>
Sent: 27 January 2022 11:34
To: Data Protection Helpdesk <[email address]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - TELECARE/ Alarm responding
centre/ Analogue to Digital Switchover [CSE: W52K32, TKT: eCQ35z]

 

Please  see e-mail below

 

 Chris Pearson

Customer Services

Incommunities Group Ltd

The Quays

Victoria Street

Shipley

01274 25 7777

[6]www.incommunities.co.uk

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Disclaimer

This e-mail and any attachment(s) is/are sent from the offices of
Incommunities Limited registered in England and trading as Incommunities.
Details of Incommunities Limited can be obtained from their registered
offices at The Quays, Victoria Street, Shipley, West Yorkshire BD17 7BN.
Company registration number is 4221767. The information contained in the
e-mail/attachment(s) is intended for the addressee(s) identified above and
may be confidential and/or legally privileged. If you are not the
addressee of this e-mail, please inform the sender immediately and destroy
this e-mail. Do not copy, use or disclose this e-mail. No contracts may be
concluded on behalf of INCOMMUNITIES Limited by means of e-mail
communications. Neither INCOMMUNITIES Limited nor the sender accepts any
liability for changes made to this e-mail or any attachment or for any
viruses. Recipients should ensure that transmissions are virus-free.

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