Assistive Technology Enabled Care (ATEC) is a term we use for technology that helps to deliver care and can be used in a variety of health facilities and at home. This makes it easier for residents in our care to access the support they need within their own homes and communities. To build the best ATEC service, we want to understand how people in Royal Greenwich are currently using technology to support their independence and meet their care needs. We want residents to help us design what a future assistive technology service looks like, using their experience and expertise. 

Rethink Partners is a consultancy that works with councils to create more intuitive, personalised and empowering services. They have already helped us reach more than 200 residents, social care and health staff and leaders so we could create our Discovery Report.  

We’re now working with them again, together with partners, residents, and staff to set up a new Resident Design Group to help create our technology model for health and social care in Greenwich. 

We’re looking for people living in Royal Greenwich to join the group that will steer the plans going forward, specifically those who have experience of using care services, or supporting someone who does. 

The Resident Design Group will meet once a month for an hour and a half to provide insight and feedback based on their experience, ensuring that it meets the needs of residents and those being supported through health and social care. Participants in the group will be offered vouchers as reimbursement for their time.

We would like participants to support the group for at least 12 months, however our intention is for the group to continue beyond the design of the service. Participants will also be asked to attend workshops and meetings as needed, where your views can influence decisions and bring challenge.  

Cllr Denise Scott-McDonald, Cabinet Member for Health and Adults’ Social Care said:  “We’re committed to making sure that people in Royal Greenwich are as in control of their care and support as they want to be.  

“This initiative meets several of the missions set out in the ‘Our Greenwich’ corporate plan, including designing our services around the needs of our residents, and developing networks with communities, key partners and businesses to meet need and address challenges together.”  

If you’re interested and would like to know more about helping us design a new Assistive Technology Enabled Care model, please register your interest at royalgreenwich.gov.uk/assistivetechnology  

 Nora’s story  

Assistive Technology Enabled Care could help people like 82-year-old Nora, who attended one of our initial focus groups. Nora’s son, Stuart, suffered a brain injury after a tragic accident at the age of 10. She and her husband dedicated their time to taking care of him for many years, but when her husband sadly died, it became too difficult for Nora to look after Stuart and his needs at home. 

Stuart now lives in an adapted flat with care in place to support him, however, this is not 24 hour care. Nora still does his banking, bills, shopping, washing, cleaning and tries to arrange his social life. As he is becoming older, Stuart’s needs are increasing, but Nora has failing health and is now worried about who will take care of her son when she is not around. 

When Stuart is anxious or having panic attacks at night, he uses his careline support service to call for help, who in turn call Nora. Nora is the only one who can settle him. She goes out at all times of the night alone in a taxi to comfort him. 

Nora says hearing about the ATEC project that Royal Greenwich is exploring has given her hope. She says that if her son had some basic tech, this could allow him to become more independent and not have to rely on her quite as much. She wonders if seeing her on a phone/tablet might calm him down, so that she wouldn’t need to rush to his side in the middle of the night. She wants to prepare him for when she is not around.  

ATEC could enable: 

• A video care phone for Nora and Stuart, so they could see and speak to each other whenever they want. 
• A smart watch for Stuart to increase his confidence and independence when out and about. He could use it to speak to mum or other carers at any time. It could give his location if that provided peace of mind and supported confidence. 
• Alexa for Stuart – for reminders, medication prompts, shopping lists, music and wellbeing content to help calm him when he’s anxious.