The conversation about digital telecare has become increasingly important as we move closer to the UK digital switchover. Here at Appello, we’ve long advocated for housing providers to be proactive, so that they can take advantage of the many benefits of digital while positioning themselves ahead of the curve.
With the publication of our digital telecare briefing ‘How ready are we for the digital switch?’, we believe in that message more strongly than ever.
We’ve crunched the numbers and looked objectively at what still needs to be achieved to ensure the safety of essential telecare services – and the conclusions are fairly sobering.
But it’s important to be honest about where the industry is currently and the potential challenges that lie ahead, so that housing providers have all the necessary information as they make their plans to go digital.
The key takeaway? This really is the best time to make that move and put your organisation in a stronger position to achieve more with less, within your preferred timeframes.
We’re not alone in recommending housing providers act now.
Industry and local government bodies, as well as Openreach and the various telecoms providers, are all urging the safeguarding of critical telecare services ahead of the digital transition.
With that in mind, we look at three key reasons for starting your digital telecare project as soon as possible, and how this will benefit your organisation.
1. Get ahead of increasing safety risks to traditional telecare services
It’s hopefully well understood at this point that traditional telecare services will not operate properly over a digital network.
What is perhaps not so widely realised is that we are already seeing the realities of this.
The much-publicised 2025 deadline only tells half the story: this is a large-scale telecoms project and work has been underway for a while, and is complete in several areas of the country.
This means that, as the rollout continues, there’s an increasing chance that analogue telecare calls are coming across the new, digital parts of the network, which can lead to a distorted or failed call.
In fact, we can see that call failure rates have been on the rise since 2020 with the Telecare Migration Survey from Scottish Local Government in 2021 stating that we can expect “considerable increase in the instances of these failed calls issues in the future”.
This is alongside other potential continuity and reliability issues as a result of telecare services that have not been specifically designed for digital.
The bottom line is that the realities and risks of running an analogue service over a digital network are already apparent – and the issues around the safety of telecare services are only going to become more widespread.
The benefits of acting now:
Housing providers who prioritise the move to digital will save themselves many headaches as we draw closer to 2025, with the peace of mind that you have secured the ongoing safety of the telecare services your customers rely on.
2. Beat supply chain issues at the front of the digital telecare queue
These safety issues make the move to digital telecare a question of ‘when’ not ‘if’ for housing providers. But it’s important to be aware of the bigger picture as you consider the timeline for your digital telecare project.
As highlighted in our digital telecare briefing, there are a number of challenges on the horizon, including:
– The scale of work still to be done
– An inevitable influx in demand for digital as we get closer to 2025
– An increase in competition amongst housing providers seeking to procure digital telecare equipment
– A knock-on effect on the supply chain, plus possible industry capacity issues
These challenges have the potential to come together to create a ‘perfect storm’ for housing providers. A shortage of equipment means less choice, so you may have to settle for whatever is available rather than the best solution for your needs. It’s also likely prices will rise, making your project more expensive. With capacity issues alongside this, lead times will be slower, hampering the progress of projects.
The benefits of acting now:
Housing providers who are able to move quickly can get ahead of this storm and avoid these issues. Your organisation will be in a much stronger position at the front of the procurement queue. This gives you the time to source the right digital solution for you, with more options available to you within your budget.
3. Secure a solution that works for you and your customers, both now and in the future
For many housing providers, there has perhaps been a reluctance to commit to digital telecare when the landscape could look completely different in a year or two. A recent TEC Cymru ‘Discovery’ survey of councils in Wales highlighted a perception that the market is still maturing, and organisations have often cited a desire to see ‘new’ technology tried and tested before they invest.
This is understandable but many housing providers can now attest to the benefits of digital in comparison to traditional telecare.
Housing providers quite rightly want to make sure their investment meets their needs both today and for years to come. This is all the more reason to be proactive, though, so that you can manage your transition carefully.
The truth is that the technology will undoubtedly improve and offer a wealth of innovative options in the future.
But it’s important to remember that what is available now is head and shoulders above your existing telecare services, both in terms of what you can offer your customers and also in how you can manage these services, and your organisation, more efficiently.
A good digital telecare system will also make it easier for you to incorporate the latest technology in the years to come, helping your organisation to stay at the forefront of best practice and industry developments.
The benefits of acting now:
Housing providers who start their digital telecare project now have the time to plan this more carefully and make sure they’re investing in the right solution. You can take advantage of all the benefits of digital by offering a much better quality service and experience for your current customers – while also building in the flexibility to enable further development in the future.
How to manage your transition to digital telecare
We have put together several resources to help housing providers navigate a digital telecare project:
1. Managing the Transition to Digital Telecare: A Guide to Engaging Your Staff with the Technology
2. Managing the Transition to Digital Telecare: How to engage your customers
3. Managing the Transition to Digital Telecare: How to plan and procure the right digital solution.
