TELECARE/ Alarm responding centre/ Analogue to Digital Switchover

Sheila Anne Mughal made this Freedom of Information request to Thirteen Group
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.

Response to this request is long overdue. Although not legally required to do so, we would have expected Thirteen Group to have responded by now (details). You can complain by requesting an internal review.

Sheila Anne Mughal

Dear Thirteen Group,
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

Thirteen Group

Thank you for contacting Thirteen, your email has been received

We know Covid-19 is making this a difficult time for everyone but you can still rent a home and?raise repairs, we are?still here to help and support you.

Our Touchpoint Team are happy to help from 8am to 7pm, Monday to Friday so please just give us a call on 0300 111 1000, or?did you know that you can use your My Thirteen account to make a payment, find a New Home?or report a repair by visiting ?www.mythirteen.co.uk??to do this easily?whenever?you?want, from wherever you?are.

Also, you can pop us a message on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/ThirteenGroup/

For FAQ’s and updates on services and how we are protecting everyone please visit our website at www.thirteengroup.co.uk

For all enquiries to us we aim to respond within 24hours, thank you for your patience during busy times

Thirteen Group

Good afternoon Sheila
Thank you

This has been passed to Paul our Assistive technology team leader to action and respond

Many thanks
Bec

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