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Ed Miliband MP Visits Tunstall Response to See How Telecare Provides Vital Support for Thousands Across the UK
MP for Doncaster North visits Tunstall Response to experience how telecare is supporting older people and those with long-term needs.
Ed Miliband, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and Labour MP for Doncaster North, has visited Tunstall Healthcare's Doncaster-based telecare monitoring centre, Tunstall Response, to see how the industry-accredited centre is helping thousands of people in the UK to live independently.
During the visit Mr Miliband was able to see first-hand how Tunstall Response is providing vital support to older people and those with long-term care needs across the country, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, giving users the confidence and ability to remain in their own home for longer with the support and reassurance they require.
Mr Miliband said: "I was impressed by what telecare can do to help elderly people to stay in their own homes and have a better quality of life. I want to congratulate the staff on the service they provide."
Tunstall Response employs almost 100 trained operators and Response staff in the Doncaster region and handles around 3,500 calls per day, providing vital assistance to those needing support.
Chris Dodd, Response Director for Tunstall Healthcare, said: "Telecare helps local authorities to manage some of the risks associated with independent living, whilst allowing care and support to be delivered in a flexible and cost effective way. Tunstall Response is at the heart of these services and, like the many other similar centres in the UK, offers a ‘lifeline' to thousands of people with long term needs. It's important to pay tribute to the response operators and staff who handle calls and provide reassurance in such a caring and professional manner."
The monitoring centre recently received the 2009 Telecare Code of Practice, an accreditation awarded by the Telecare Services Association (TSA), which reflects the highest quality of service delivered by UK providers. The Telecare Code of Practice is a nationally recognised and independently assessed accreditation, which was devised in conjunction with UK government departments including the Department of Health.
Councils in Yorkshire are leading the way in showing how telecare can play a key role in the Government's strategy of improving efficiency in delivering care services. A telecare programme implemented by North Yorkshire County Council demonstrated a saving of over £1 million on domiciliary or residential care in its first year, with the net average efficiency gain being £3,600 per person, equating to a 38% reduction in care costs.
Telecare is a low-level, cost-effective alternative to traditional institutional or residential care, and can assist in reducing some of the pressure on care providers, by providing people in independent housing with access to round-the-clock support and care. Lifeline units provide a link to Tunstall's 24-hour response centre if help is required, and a range of intelligent telecare sensors raise an automatic alarm if falls or environmental extremes such as fire flood or gas are detected.
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