For many users of technology enabled care (TEC), the ability to carry out simple activities like video calling, calling for help following a fall or having the reassurance that someone is on the other end of the line, should they need support can be life changing.
As a result, it is the responsibility of all TEC providers to ensure their customers can transition safely from analogue to digital in a timely fashion. In doing so further highlights their commitment to enable vulnerable users to live as independently as possible within a safe environment.
Disruption to lives
One of the main benefits of digital telecare solutions is their ability to provide personalised support for the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and those with learning difficulties.
Not transitioning safely from analogue to digital poses a risk for all users of these services. For instance, analogue equipment which has not transitioned to digital is less likely to provide 100% reliability and could lead to increasing alarm call failures. This could be life threatening for some users.
Analogue equipment will also see the added challenge of maintenance issues as this equipment will be phased out during the coming years.
The Do’s
Check Reliability
First and foremost, choose a supplier with a track record of delivering high-quality solutions consistently. This will help to ensure that you receive reliable, scalable, and future-proofed digital solutions that meet your unique needs.
The TSA’s recommendation is that all organisations “that supply TEC to their customers should be certified by TEC Quality according to the Quality Standards Framework (QSF)”. To this end, whatever supplier you choose, check that they are committed to high quality and safe services.
Investigate Interoperability
Interoperability continues to be a key aspect of the digital switchover. It is essential to prioritise solutions that are interoperable and can work with other digital systems seamlessly. This will help to ensure that you can integrate your new digital solutions into your existing infrastructure with ease.
In 2021 Everon partnered with national charity Hft. It was important for their support team to have a solution that complimented their existing technology. We were able to personalise our solution to support and enable the individuals to personally develop and learn new tasks.
Just as in the example above, be clear on the level of interoperability you require and check that the supplier you choose can meet your requirements.
Supplier Customer Care
A key aspect of the analogue to digital transition is customer care. It’s crucial to choose suppliers who will prioritise customer care pre and post the digital switchover. This will help to ensure that you receive the support you need during the transition process and beyond.
Communication
With a lot of uncertainty surrounding the digital switchover and how people’s lives may be impacted, communicate regularly with your service users. Keeping them informed through the process will increase their peace of mind.
The Don’ts
Purchase Analogue Systems
By September 2023, Openreach will stop selling analogue phone lines to new customers. As a provider, it is expedient to discontinue the purchase of analogue equipment and channel funds into the purchase of fully digital solutions that are futureproofed and provide value for money. Or in the short to midterm, purchase hybrid solutions whilst a timescale for transition to fully digital solutions can be drawn up.
Defer Key Decisions
A growing concern within the sector is the real risk that many Local Authorities, Housing Associations and Service Providers have left preparations to transition from analogue to digital too late; as a result, increasing the risk to service users.
If you’re yet to take key steps in your analogue to digital transition, the next best time to act is now.
Transitioning from analogue to digital can be a daunting prospect for TEC providers and their service users. However, it's a necessary step to ensure that vulnerable users receive the care they need. With the right supplier, the process can be straightforward and cost-effective.
How can Everon help with your analogue to digital transition?
Everon is the European market leader in digital grouped living solutions. We have a track record of providing digital solutions since 2007 across the Nordics and more recently grouped living and care organisations in the UK. We’re committed to high quality and safe services. As a result, we have been successfully awarded the TSA Quality Standards Framework (QSF) status for the second year running.
Our flexible, wireless, open platform provides personalised solutions that are future-proofed. We continue to build on our experience and excellence by investing heavily in research and development. Our solutions are tried and tested across 70,000+ clients pa.
To find out more about how we can help you transition from analogue to digital technology, visit our website and read the case study.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Why is it important to transition from analogue to digital?
A: The transition from analogue to digital is important because analogue technology is becoming outdated, and digital technology offers more benefits, such as increased
reliability, better quality, and greater flexibility. Digital technology also allows for more efficient and cost-effective care, which can benefit both service providers and users.
Q: What challenges can arise during the analogue to digital transition?
A: Some challenges that can arise during the transition include equipment compatibility issues, lack of technical expertise, difficulties in finding reliable suppliers. It's important to address these challenges proactively to ensure a smooth and safe transition.
Q: How can I ensure a safe transition from analogue to digital?
A: Some important steps to ensure a safe transition include choosing a reliable supplier, ensuring interoperability, prioritising customer care, and providing regular communication with service users.
Read the Case Study, here
Find out more about our solutions here
With the analogue to digital transformation underway, there is an urgency for Local Authorities, Housing Associations and Service Providers to move away from analogue connected solutions to products that connect digitally, in order to ensure service users’ safety.
With the date of the digital switchover drawing worryingly closer, the need to replace analogue equipment with digital solutions that are specifically designed to work on the new digital infrastructures is all the more imperative.
A recent poll, showed that housing and care sectors aren’t adequately prepared for the digital switchover due to come into effect in 2025.
One of the challenges faced by our sector can be attributed to analogue systems that are incapable of communicating reliably over the new digital infrastructures. Alarm receiving centres that aren’t digital will be unable to safely handle calls from vulnerable users, and as we get closer to the digital switchover, alarm call failures will continue to rise.
To bridge the gap for Local Authorities, Housing Associations and Service Providers that are not yet ready to transition to a fully digital option because their control centre is not fully digital, Everon has developed their digital grouped living solution and enabled it to be translated into analogue protocols which allows control centres to start buying digital equipment’s, use them with their current analogue centre and migrate them remotely to digital when ready.
What you should pay attention to now
Our recommendation is for Local Authorities, Housing Associations and Service Providers to have a fully digital, future-proof solution. However, if you find yourself in a situation where you’re unable to transition to a fully digital solution in time for the switchover:
In the words of Phil Cain, Industry Vendor Liaison, TalkTalk – “You’ve got to do something about this, you’ve got to have a plan. That timeframe for doing this is getting smaller and smaller. We started this 4 years ago. We’re now less than 3 years from this happening”.
To find out how Everon’s solution can help, click here.
To read the Case study, click here
Following the launch of the Digital Switchover White Paper “The Digital Reality” produced by Everon and partners, Jeremy Porteus, CEO, Housing LIN tells Everon why some providers have been slow to embrace the role of digital, how the cost of living crisis is impacting and why doing nothing is not an option.
Why is the Housing LIN and its members interested in the digital switchover?
First and foremost we want to make sure that our members in health, housing and social care sectors are aware of the digital switchover and the implications and so that anyone who has analogue systems can build their strategies to be digital ready by 2025.
This can be anything from social alarm telecare provision through to systems that are Wi-Fi enabled, community equipment services or adaptations in the home, such as floor lifts with a digital interface. So for me, it applies not just to health and social care, but also to smart housing.
Why have care, health and housing providers been slow to embrace the role of digital and technology?
“At a leadership level, there aren’t sufficient digital champions.”
Many of the decision makers and boards may be in positions where they themselves are digitally resistant or technology averse.
There are significant issues around workforce and training to enable front line staff to be tech enabled. Perhaps training and skills haven’t traditionally relied on a digital interface due to the provision of care and support being a physical presence, as opposed to a digital presence.
There is an element of a lack of understanding of what’s going on and a lack of how to change or improve and innovate. So the danger is you’ll have more of the same-old rather than listening and understanding to what’s needed from your customers and the tech journey required to meet those needs.
What is the latest situation in relation to the digital switchover from a housing LIN’s perspective?
From the Housing LIN’s perspective, it is important to communicate messages through to our members. We have ongoing relationships with our partners to make sure that we are constantly raising awareness, sharing best practice and that includes looking at relevant products, key service delivery impacts and above all, consider the overall implications for residents and users of services whether in receipt of care or support.
“We must ensure that there’s an ease of transition from analogue to digital and that there is a smooth transfer which doesn’t disrupt the lives of the people who need it most.”
How does TAPPI (Technology for our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation) help?
TAPPI has the potential to recognise that there are a number of important principles that have to be embedded in going digital. These are not about compliance in relation to technical standards, but more about a broad set of principles that shape why these standards are important and how they apply to the needs and wishes of customers.
The ten TAPPI principles will be tested and co-produced with the residents who are participating in these 6 sites along with the housing associations, local authorities, NHS partners, technology manufacturers, suppliers and developers. This is to ensure there is a whole system approach to make sure where technology interfaces with people, from the outset the providers are embracing and thinking about the ageing population.
My hunch is technology is developed by people aged 18-40 for people predominantly aged 18-40, working on gamification, mobile applications etc. The ageing population is not yet regarded as a significant market but we know that baby boomers are the new zoomers, especially since the pandemic. We want to create a kitemark whereby when engaging with people in later life, technologists have thought about the 10 principles in relation to technology for an increasing share of older customers.
TAPPI Phase 2, jointly administered by the Housing LIN and the TSA, is funded by the Dunhill Medical Trust. The TAPPI traffic lights turned green on 5 September 2022 - it’s a long journey and the next 12-15 months will help that journey. Read more here.
What are the biggest concerns for members/what are you worried about?
“One of the biggest concerns for members is what is the likelihood of increasing poverty and inequalities.”
Most people are concerned at this moment in time not about technology, but about the cost of living crisis and fuel poverty and how they can support their residents who may have serious financial concerns due to being on Universal Credit or low incomes.
What I’m worried about is that inequality will also create digital inequalities and further exclusion for the very people who need technology most eg those that have to charge their electric wheelchair or need 24 hr heating for poor circulation. So there will be a real impact on people’s wellbeing. From a tech perspective we need to make sure it is affordable, low cost, easily applied, easy to use and reliable.
Do you think the cost of living crisis will push back advances in digital?
There is a possibility that self-funders and carers will be impacted the most. They are already struggling with homecare for example if they have a crisis and are coming out of hospital. This could have a knock on effect in terms of creating far more pressures on the system. That’s why TAPPI which is around coproducing services with the user, may be able to offer help to self manage or maintain health and wellbeing for as long as possible. It will then create an opportunity to compress dependency to a much shorter time or to a later stage in life.
“For me there is a health economics reason why digital has to work.”
What are the key opportunities and benefits to members of digital?
Opportunities are that we need to see this as a mainstream offer and not just allocated as a specialist provision because the digital platform enables you to build up or down to meet particular individual needs. Mainstream and continuous learning around the use of digital is needed.
What is your message to housing and care leaders?
A large majority of your existing customers will be older adults and those living with long term conditions and my message is to look at your customer profiles. There is an urgent need to engage with and develop the appropriate strategies to address how to be ready for the digital switchover. There isn’t long to go. There’s a high possibility that whilst they know about it, doing the transformation has to be done at pace.
Who is ahead of the game / what does good look like?
What TAPPI showed us is that there are lots of really good examples out there. For example Innovate Trust in Wales, Radius in Northern Ireland, Guinness in England, offer good examples of pilots and testing. We need to make sure we move from these small scale projects to something mainstream and sector wide at a time when the sector is faced with addressing climate change, the impact of Grenfell, fuel poverty etc.
“This is as significant an issue as the cost of living crisis and I think it has to be red flagged by the boards and committees at the highest level.”
What does the future hold?
I think what could be different in the future, is that we need to make sure there is a higher digital literacy both in terms of people making decisions and the users of digital.
“We need to build the social capital as well as the technical/digital capital.”
How do we get there? Well some of the actions required will be based around research and evaluations and piloting such as the TAPPI project but also regulation and quality assurance mechanisms. A core component is co-production and co-design and one of the other principles is around interoperability. How to mix and match. The population isn’t a homogeneous group.
“Doing nothing is not an option.”
To learn more, see the Digital Switchover White Paper “The Digital Reality” here
