Through the introduction of a person-centred ATEC service, we aim to enable local people to stay independent for longer and improve how care is delivered in the Royal Borough of Greenwich by integrating the best of digital care technology with our existing adult social care services and over time, some health services.
The Royal Borough of Greenwich ATEC service aims to help people stay independent for longer; increase their wellbeing, independence and confidence, whilst providing support for carers and loved ones. There is now lots of evidence from other councils across the country that ATEC can provide more innovative and personalised support to residents and their carers, at home and in their communities – whilst liberating independence, dignity, freedom and a renewed sense of safety and confidence for people in receipt of care services, as well as their carers.
We have been engaging with people and community groups for the last 18 months and we have formed a resident design group with local people to make sure that we tailor this service to the specific needs and aspirations of the Greenwich community. After working with hundreds of people, we now have a robust plan for this service which has been co-designed with local residents and staff.
What’s Being Proposed?
The Royal Borough of Greenwich, in collaboration with NHS partners, is proposing to introduce an innovative Assistive Technology Enabled Care (ATEC) service. Designed to harness the best of customisable technology and integrate it with health and social care, the ATEC service has been designed by local people and staff to help people live more independently by using technology for everyday living.
The insights gained from our work with local people and staff and the resident design group have been invaluable in informing our approach, ensuring that the technologies and services we introduce are not only advanced but also personalised and meaningful to our residents.
Our aim is for the service to achieve the following impact for key stakeholder groups:
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Residents |
Practitioners |
Families |
Partners |
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Why Are We Doing This?
Our motivation for introducing this digital care technology offer comes from a desire to enhance the independence and quality of life for our residents. By integrating technology into care, we aim to provide early intervention, support self-care, use technology to help people with everyday living activities, and to help people feel safe and supported in their own homes. Through improving people’s independence, we expect to see a reduction – over time – of demand for some NHS and social care services.
Many people now use technology for lots of different aspects of their lives and especially for keeping in touch with loved ones. It’s right that local people should expect us to use the best of care technologies to provide the best possible services that enhance people’s safety and wellbeing but that also take advantage of the opportunities digital technology affords to actively increase personalisation, dignity and independence.
The Royal Borough of Greenwich has provided a telecare service for some years; this will continue to be available to residents who need it. With technology advances, many councils are now introducing a wider range of technology to eligible residents to support them to live more independently for longer. We have spoken to several councils who already have ATEC services to make sure we learn from and build on their experiences.
What Will Be the Impact on Residents?
The ATEC programme is designed with the well-being of our residents in mind, aiming to:
- enhance independence and autonomy at home
- reduce the need for traditional social care interventions
- provide personalised support through advanced technology solutions
Residents can expect an approach that blends technology with care, ensuring that while digital solutions offer support, they complement rather than replace the invaluable human element of care. The collaborative design process with our local communities and resident design group has been critical in shaping a proposed service model that understands and meets the diverse needs of Royal Greenwich's population. This approach not only fosters a sense of ownership among residents but also ensures that the ATEC service is a reflection of our community's unique character and needs.
Staff and residents have helped us design in detail the impact and benefits to local people by co-designing with us a framework for resident outcomes.
Your feedback and questions are invaluable to us. This public consultation is your opportunity to shape the future of care in the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What types of technology might I receive? The Assistive Technology Enabled Care (ATEC) service will provide a range of user-friendly, widely used technologies tailored to meet individual needs and support independent living. This includes devices such as tablets, smart watches, devices to help people get help if they fall, video doorbells, and motion sensors.
Will this incur a cost for me? We are committed to making the ATEC service accessible to all eligible residents. As we finalise the programme, we will provide specific details regarding any potential costs to you. Our goal is to ensure that financial barriers do not prevent anyone from benefiting from this service.
Who is eligible for this service? We will phase the roll out of this service and aim to expand the eligibility criteria over time to include a broader range of residents who could benefit from these technologies. Initially, the service will prioritise people who are:
- people with specific adult social care needs including adults with learning disabilities living in the community or in supported living accommodation – and older people who are eligible for social care and living in the community
- people who are moderately or severely frail
- people who are eligible for Continuing Healthcare (CHC)
How can I access this service? Detailed information on how to access the service will be made available if elected Members decide we can proceed with the service. However, we anticipate a launch date for the service in autumn 2024. Nearer to Autumn 2024, we expect to provide updates on the application process or how to express interest in the programme, ensuring you have all the necessary information to participate.
Are other councils implementing this? Yes, there has been lots of recent ambitious progress across councils to explore and implement similar digital care technology initiatives. These efforts reflect a wider recognition of the benefits that technology can bring to care services, especially in enhancing the quality of life and independence of residents. We have worked closely with councils to learn from their experience and understand how best to realise our own ambitions in the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
Will an ATEC service mean human contact will be reduced? This is all about integrating technology into care in a way that enhances, rather than replaces, the personal touch provided by human carers. The ATEC programme is designed to complement existing care services, ensuring that technology serves as a tool to support both residents and caregivers. Our approach prioritises the well-being and independence of our residents, using technology to create a care environment that is both innovative and compassionate.
Who will be providing the service? The service will be provided by a specialist technology and service provider but will work closely and seamlessly with council social care teams and other council services, NHS teams and services that work with people who are frail or eligible for continuing healthcare funding, local care providers and other partners involved in health and care provision in Royal Greenwich. For residents, it should feel like a service provided by Greenwich Council and the local NHS. It’s our intention to work in a very collaborative and transparent way with any specialist companies to support us.
What support will be available for people who are not experienced or confident in using technology? We are including the requirement to provide upfront training for people when they get the technology, regular check-ins afterwards, and for there to be clear user instructions to leave with people which will be available in a range of formats and languages. Throughout our co-production work with local people, we have understood that both staff and residents see this as a lifelong learning experience where we can continuously support and build skills and confidence.
How will you make sure that people who would benefit are not excluded? We have a lot of information about what might prevent people from using technology in this way and accessing the service – things like worries about cost, good quality connectivity, skills and confidence. Some of our earliest conversations with local people also highlighted that digital exclusion mirrored other forms of exclusion. We are building solutions and remedies for the problems we can anticipate into our plans, but we will also keep track of any issues people may have with the service once it goes live. Our approach to designing this with local people has been a key part of mitigating any risks around exclusion and we would warmly welcome people to get involved in this programme. See more information on our residents design group here: (https://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/assistivetechnology)
Is this about saving money? There is good evidence that personalised technology for everyday living can help people achieve good health and care outcomes. Being more self-sufficient with the help of technology can help improve well-being, give peace of mind, and more choice and control. This can also mean that people’s need for other forms of paid care and support are lessened or delayed, which will help to make council and NHS funding go further.
When will the service start? Our current plans are for the service to start in the autumn of 2024 at the earliest. Subject to approval by elected members, we will publicise the service to residents once the service starts.