Web survey uncovers telecare costs

A survey of how much people are charged for using telecare around the country has been carried out by the Care Services Improvement Partnership.

The survey aims to help commissioners, service providers, users and carers to meet the aims of the government’s Putting People First policy.

It lists more than 300 providers and the amount they charge for providing telecare devices, using information on the providers’ websites. CSIP said commissioners and service providers need to carefully review their arrangements if they are moving towards telecare mainstreaming.

Telecare services are currently being offered through social care authorities, district councils, primary care trusts, third sector and voluntary organisations and directly by telecare providers.

CSIP said Tower Hamlets had recently scrapped its charges for telecare and there are limited examples of direct payments or individualised budgets for telecare.

However, it predicted that this would change.“People may seek out other solutions from the high street or top up their arrangements in future,” it said.

CSIP said that where the service is a ‘health’ service, such as telehealth vital signs monitoring, there should be no charge. However, it said that items like medication dispensers were a grey area that could fall within health care or social care.

Link: Full details of the survey are available on the CSIP website.