New study to form quality measures for national telecare deployment

One of the first major independent evaluations of an active telecare programme is taking place in Birmingham.

Already 6,000 people are benefitting from assistive technologies rolled out as part of a partnership between Birmingham City Council and technology supplier, Tunstall, and over the next three years it is hoped this number will rise to 27,000.

But as telecare and telehealth technologies become more widely available, there is a need for independent evaluation of the impact of programmes in order to provide a firm evidence base for widespread deployment. It is also hoped the initiative will create a series of national quality measures that will help to structure programmes so they best meet the needs of individual users.

We believe that all telecare services should be built with a focus on what elements users value, to ensure they are being delivered in the most effective way according to people’s needs

The Birmingham study is being led by the Good Governance Institute (GGI) and the council and is centred on those involved with the Birmingham Telecare Service.

Jon Tomlinson, joint director of commissioning at Birmingham City Council, said: “Our telecare service looks to support vulnerable adults to live independently in their own homes for longer, and we are expecting over 27,000 people to benefit over the next three years. By working alongside the GGI on this quality assurance programme, we are aiming to use the findings to make improvements in all service areas, while also contributing to a national framework that will ensure high standards in telecare service delivery.”

Andrew Corbett-Nolan, chief executive of the GGI and a fellow of the Chartered Quality Institute, added: “No two telecare users’ needs are the same. We believe that all telecare services should be built with a focus on what elements users value, to ensure they are being delivered in the most effective way according to people’s needs.

By working alongside the GGI on this quality assurance programme, we are aiming to use the findings to make improvements in all service areas, while also contributing to a national framework that will ensure high standards in telecare service delivery

“This is a ground-breaking opportunity to develop a clear understanding of the quality issues in telecare services, and for the Birmingham Telecare Service to contribute in a much wider context to a national framework for telecare services. Our template for telecare services will ensure commissioners are delivering a service that is built around the needs and expectations of both the service users and their carers.”

The first stage of the programme has already been carried out and involved working with service users and their carers to establish how satisfied they were with current telecare services. The results show that the service is highly valued and makes a ‘significant’ difference to residents’ lives.

One service user said: “I’ve found that since I’ve been given telecare, I’ve got more confidence to go out.

“At one time I wouldn’t go anywhere. I would just sit in the house and cry. Since I got telecare I’ve now moved near my family and I’ll go out and do my own shopping.”

Now the GGI is looking to build on these initial findings and will use an independent quality review board, the Citizen’s Quality Advisory Group, to liaise directly with users and devise a quality assurance dashboard as well as running the first cycle of the quality assurance process through interviews and focus groups. The GGI will also provide quarterly reports and conduct annual service user experience studies for the duration of the programme.