The switch to digital telecare has become a critical priority for housing providers. But this needs careful planning and procurement to make sure you find the best solution for you and your customers.
The ongoing development of our telecoms network means the move to digital is essential from a safety perspective. Digital technology offers many benefits beyond this, however, with the opportunity to transform the way you provide your services.
Our tips below highlight the key steps to take when planning and procuring your digital telecare solution, so you can feel confident in your investment.
1. Define the scope of your digital telecare project
As with any project, the first step is to do some research. This is certainly the case with the switch from analogue to digital, as there are significant differences between the technologies and what you are able to achieve with these.
It’s important to get to grips with what digital telecare actually means in practice and familiarise yourself with the options and the terminology. There are many digital telecare resources available and you can speak to suppliers such as Appello to get a better understanding of how digital can work for your organisation.
It’s also useful to take stock of what you have in place at the moment. Think about what your current system covers, what you’d like to improve, what equipment you will need to replace. You can then use this to pinpoint your priorities.
Key actions:
– Create an asset register of your current equipment – include details such as the manufacturer, age, what the equipment does
– Confirm your budget
– Create a project team – make sure this includes people from key departments such as IT, procurement, communications and customer services
– Identify stakeholders and their needs, including your staff and customers
– Take a look at useful resources such as the Digital Telecare Playbook from Scottish Local Government and Appello’s series of guides on managing the digital transition.
2. Look at the bigger picture
Moving from analogue to digital gives you the opportunity to take a fresh approach to your telecare services.
Simply put, you can do so much more with digital. But a ‘like for like’ swap of existing equipment with a digital equivalent fails to take full advantage of this. It also makes it much harder to adapt to future innovations.
Of course, the safety of your telecare services is a core requirement for your digital telecare solution, but it’s also important to spend some time thinking about what else you can do. The National Briefing Document for Scotland highlights how digital telecare “creates opportunities to redesign services around the user” as well as giving housing providers the chance to “improve efficiency, resilience (and) reduce cost”. One of the advantages of digital is the ability to integrate with other services and systems across your organisation.
You don’t need to do everything at once and may decide to take a multi-stage approach. The main thing is to lay the right foundations, which then gives you the flexibility to update and expand on your systems as needed for a future-proofed solution.
Key actions:
– Be clear about your objectives for your digital telecare solution
– Include your immediate needs and what you want to prioritise
– Think about how digital can support your long-term strategy – for example, how this can enhance your customers’ safety and wellbeing, integrate with other systems and reduce the cost of operations
3. Create your digital telecare project plan
Having gathered information on the areas above, the next step is to pull this together into your project plan.
This is where you map out each stage of your project, establishing your timeframe and who needs to be involved and when. This will include talking to potential suppliers, thinking about your procurement process, engaging with your stakeholders, implementing the equipment and systems, and training requirements.
Key actions:
– Make sure you’re aware of any relevant legal requirements, such as whether you need to carry out a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) or issue a Section 20 (S20) notice of the installation works
– Include elements that need to run alongside the technical aspects of the project, such as creating a strategy for engaging with your customers and involving your staff.
– Take a look at this sample roadmap to check you’ve covered the main stages
4. Create a procurement specification
Once you have your project plan in place, you’re ready to approach the market. It’s vital to think about your procurement process, as this will differ from how you have procured analogue telecare equipment in the past.
Produce a detailed procurement specification, whether you are going through a tender process or speaking directly to different suppliers. This helps ensure everyone is on the same page and your digital telecare solution meets all your requirements.
Key actions:
– Think about who will be involved in the procurement process – include a technology specialist, who may work alongside your procurement manager
– Consider what elements are essential vs those which are desirable
– Include your timeframes and budget
5. Ask the right questions
Not all digital telecare solutions are equal! Be prepared to do your due diligence and ask potential suppliers important questions about their products. These should cover crucial areas such as safety, compatibility and connectivity.
It’s useful to create a checklist to ensure you’ve covered all the main points and can properly evaluate the digital telecare products on offer.
Key actions:
– Make sure the equipment meets relevant safety standards – look for the BSI kitemark for reassurance
– Ask about compatibility – what protocol does the equipment use to communicate with the monitoring centre?
– Cover aspects such as interoperability, security, maintenance and connectivity
– Find a detailed breakdown of the questions you should ask in our guide, Managing the Transition to Digital Telecare: How to Plan and Procure the Right Digital Solution
6. Choose your supplier carefully!
There are many different options on the market these days but it’s vital to choose a supplier with specific industry experience.
Alongside this, an experienced supplier will work with you as a trusted partner on your digital journey, helping you find the best solution to match your wider objectives, rather than just replacing one device with another.
Key actions:
– Confirm they have tested their products thoroughly – BT has created a Digital Services Lab which your supplier should have visited to check their products over the digital network
– Ask for evidence and details of successful projects, such as case studies
Why the digital planning and procurement process matters
Digital is a different landscape to analogue and managing the transition can feel challenging. Your planning and procurement process is a key step in getting this right.
Spending some time on this will pay dividends. By identifying what you want to achieve and how this ties in with your wider strategy, and then creating a targeted procurement process, you will be well placed to find the best digital solution to meet your and your customers’ needs – both now and in the future.
