What is Technology Enabled Care?
Technology enabled care is used to help people self-manage their own health, and stay happy, safe and independent in their own homes. It involves using different systems such as alarms, sensors, medication dispensers, home health monitoring or text messaging services, which are used in your own home and connect you directly to health services providers.
Digital technologies can empower patients/clients and carers by giving them more control over their own health.
What services are available?
The Technology Enabled Care (TEC) service includes Telecare, Near Me, Connect Me and Silvercloud.
Who is eligible?
Through the Integrated TEC Hub individuals can be assessed and have installed a range of services to aid their health and wellbeing.
People of all ages and disabilities can benefit from a TEC package, depending on their individual circumstances and assessed need.
Telecare
Telecare is available to any Argyll and Bute resident who is assessed as being at risk due to age and / or disability and / or social circumstances. This includes people who are:
- Living alone or living with another vulnerable person
- Living with a carer or carers where the service is essential to maintain the care arrangements
- Carers who require support to help look after a dependent
- Disabled due to clinical/medical condition such as MS, epilepsy or heart condition
- Responsible for a child/children who may be at risk due to the medical condition of their carers
- Vulnerable when living alone due to a history of domestic violence
- Isolated or housebound due to disability, regardless of age
How does the Telecare Service Work?
The Telecare Service is a 24 hour, 365 days a year service, which involves the provision of a telephone link between the base unit in your home and the monitoring centre. Should you press the button on your pendant or unit, or a sensor be activated, a message is sent to the monitoring centre where trained operators take the most appropriate action, whether it be contacting a family member, neighbour, doctor, the emergency services or responder service.
We are also able to provide other sensors including smoke detectors, heat sensors, open door alerts, flood detectors, bed and chair sensors and a range of other equipment which can be linked to the telecare unit. These sensors will activate automatically should assistance be required.
You can apply for Telecare online here on the website, for yourself or on behalf of someone else. We will ask you for details about you, your home, and who your keyholders will be to enable us to process your request as quickly as possible.
Apply for Telecare alarm services
Before you apply, if you have not already done so, you may find it useful to use the Telecare self-check tool, which asks you some questions about you and your needs, then provides Telecare specific and general advice based on your answers (there is no need to enter any personal data)
Charges for Telecare
A charge of £6.45 per week is made for provision of the Telecare Service. This charge will start following installation. There is a 4 week minimum contract term.
You can pay for the service in the following ways:
Telephone: 01546 605515
Online: (using our online payments system)
In person: at any of our Customer Service Points
The £6.45 a week charge only applies to Telecare services and equipment (not Near Me, Connect Me or Silvercloud).
Home and Mobile Health Monitoring
SilverCloud programmes are designed to help you improve and maintain your wellbeing by changing the way you think and feel about things.
There are several free programmes you can access, including:
- Positive body image
- Stress
- Long term conditions and their link to depression and anxiety, now including Breast Cancer
- Mindfulness
- Resilience
- Sleep
- Money
- Depression
- OCD
... and many others.
All you need is access to the internet and sound on a computer, tablet or mobile. The programme is flexible so you can use it anytime, anyplace, and anywhere. They feature videos, activities, quizzes, audio guides and your own online journal.
Referrals are made through your G.P or other relevant healthcare provider. For further information contact nhsh.digitaltherapies@nhs.scot.
Connect Me
Connect Me is free, convenient and easy to use.
The use of simple technology has become part of everyday life for many of us. Now it can also be used to help monitor and manage your health at home.
The service can be accessed using telephone, mobile, email or by downloading the Connect Me App.
Connect Me is Scotland’s remote health monitoring platform and is increasingly being use by doctors and nurses all over Scotland to help their patients monitor and manage their own health.
Connect Me is currently being used to support people with:-
- Asthma
- High Blood Pressure
- Heart Failure
- Chronic Pain
- COPD
- With more services planned
For more information talk to your GP about Connect Me.
For HSCP staff in Argyll and Bute please contact nhsh.tecteamab@nhs.scot
For staff in North Highland please contact nhsh.connectme@nhs.scot
Near Me
Near Me (also known as Attend Anywhere) is a confidential, safe and secure NHS video calling platform that enables us to offer video consultations from wherever the patient is based, reducing or eliminating travel, time and costs for the patient and therefore helping the environment.
Near Me allows you to attend your pre-arranged appointment using a video call rather than attending in person. You will see the same consultant or healthcare professional you would have seen in clinic and you can use your own internet-enabled device (mobile phone, tablet, laptop, PC etc) to make the call.
The video call is free (except any internet usage charges you may have) and uses around the same data allowance as a FaceTime or Skype call.
Near Me is not suitable for all appointments – for example if you need an examination, physical treatment or investigations. Ask your healthcare provider or receptionist if you are interested in attending your appointment by video call.
For HSCP staff in Argyll and Bute please contact nhsh.tecteamab@nhs.scot or 07814 062700 for more information.
For staff in North Highland please contact nhsh.nhsnearme@nhs.scot or 07469 916150 for more information.
Contact Us
If you wish to make a referral for yourself or someone else for TEC, please call the Service Point on 01546 605522 and ask to speak to someone about Technology Enabled Care, or use our online form to get in touch
Alternatively you can email enquiries@argyll-bute.gov.uk and ask for the new TEC referral to be passed to the local Duty Social Worker for action.
If your enquiry is about Telecare, it would be helpful if you could provide details of named responders (Name, Address and Telephone Number, GP) at this time.