What Is Halton Community Alarm Service? Who is the service for? How can it help me? What is a Community Alarm? How does it work?

Transcription

1 Information Guide 1

2 What Is Halton Community Alarm Service? Who is the service for? How can it help me? What is a Community Alarm? How does it work? What is required of you? Use of data? How much does it cost? How do I apply? Why do I need an assessment? How to cancel the service If you wish to make a complaint Service user consultation

3 COMMUNITY ALARM SERVICE This guide has been developed to assist the service user and their significant others to utilise the service and report any issues that may arise. It may be used as guidance but is not definitive in what the service can offer. What Is Halton Community Alarm Service? HCAS is provided by HBC the service provides a 24 Hour 365 Day a year Community Alarm Response Service and is currently spit into 3 service levels. Service Level 1 Community Alarm Emergency Response Service Service Level Telecare Service Environmental Monitoring Response Service Service Level 3 Telecare Service Lifestyle / Environmental Monitoring Response Service Who is the service for? The service is for anyone who feels at risk or vulnerable in their own home. People choose to have Halton Community Alarm service for different reasons. Some people live on their own and want some reassurance that if they have some difficulty, they can contact someone easily. Other people have difficulty getting around the house or have health problems. They may need to contact someone quickly if they are unwell or have an accident. Halton Community Alarm service gives reassurance and can get practical help when it is needed. 1

4 How can it help me? Community Alarm and Telecare equipment can be installed to support individual needs or risks and therefore enable people to remain living at home in the community How to contact the service: You can contact Halton Community Alarm Service via any one of the following methods: By pressing your pendant or the red button on the base unit, 24 hours a day; By telephone on , 24 hours a day; By at hdl@halton.gov.uk; By fax on ; By post at Halton Community Alarm Service, Municipal Building, Kingsway, Widnes, Cheshire. WA8 7QF; In person at any one of Halton Direct Link One Stop Shops Widnes Halton Direct Link 7 Brook Street Widnes Cheshire WA8 6NB Runcorn Halton Direct Link Church Street Runcorn Cheshire WA7 1LX Widnes Halton Direct Link Queens Avenue Ditton Widnes Cheshire WA8 8HR 2

5 What is a Community Alarm? A community alarm is a special alarm connected to the telephone line which when activated by someone will automatically dial to a monitoring centre. A pendant is also supplied which is worn by the person to enable them to summon help at the touch of a button wherever they are in their property. What is Telecare? Telecare is automatic equipment which monitors the person or their environment for specific events. There is a range of equipment currently available within our service levels and includes: Wireless Smoke Detector Falls Detector Property Exit Sensor Wireless Flood Detector Wireless Temperature Wireless Passive Infra-Extreme Sensor Red Sensor Bed Occupancy Sensor Chair Occupancy Sensor Wireless Carbon Monoxide Epeilepsy Sensor (CO) Sensor Pressure Mat Wireless Pull Cord For further Information on any of these items of equipment please contact Halton Direct Link, who will be able to give advice on the equipment and if required, a data sheet(s) can be posted out. 3

6 How does it work? When one of the items of equipment activates, such as a pendant or smoke detector, it will send a radio signal to the base unit. The unit will then call our contact centre. The contact centre operator will aim to answer the call within 30 seconds. The call monitoring equipment will tell the operator who you are and what equipment has activated. We will attempt to make contact with you to resolve your problem. If we cannot hear you we will try to call you back and if we are still unable to make contact with you we will initiate the response protocol as agreed with you on your assessment. When we speak to you, we will initially attempt to resolve your problem. If we are unable to resolve the problem we will contact someone who can resolve the problem, such as nominated next of kin, general practitioner, social worker, community warden, etc. If the Community Warden Service is sent as a responder, they will aim to respond within 45 minutes, and access the property using the agreed access method. If you require assistance the community wardens will provide you with any assistance you require, and if they are unable to do so, will make arrangements so that your problem is resolved, such as emergency services, general practitioner, etc. All Halton Community Alarm Service Staff adhere to Halton Borough Council s Employee Code of Conduct. 4

7 Sensors activate wireless signal sent to community alarm Community Alarm Dials out to the monitoring centre Monitoring Centre receive call. All personal details appear on a computer screen. Operator will screen call Monitoring Centre contacts responders if required and help is dispatched 5

8 What is required of you? As a service user of Halton Community Alarm Service, it is your responsibility to:- maintain the equipment as detailed in the equipment data sheets. maintain an active telecommunication line and electricity supply, pay for such services and notify any malfunction to Halton Community Alarm Service straight away. ensure that the base unit is plugged in to the mains supply and telephone socket at all times. notify the service when you are to be away from the property for more than 24 hours; pay Halton Borough Council for the provision of the service promptly via the methods listed earlier in this leaflet; arrange access to your property for the provision of the service, either in the form of a key safe or a key holder; test the equipment on an agreed basis; ensure the equipment is protected from damage and report any 6

9 damage to Halton Community Alarm Service immediately; provide all information requested to the best of your knowledge to ensure the provision of the service as outlined in the assessment; any changes to the above information is notified as soon as possible; inform Halton Community Alarm Service if you have a complaint via the method on this page; if you identify that there is a fault with any of the equipment you must contact the Halton Community Alarm Service straight away. Halton Community Alarm Service recommend that you remain with the same Telephone Service Provider for the duration of service as changing the provider may result in a temporary or permanent loss of service. 7

10 Use of data? The data held about you is stored electronically on our call monitoring system and Halton Council s Social Care system. This information is encrypted and password protected with access allowed to authorised personnel only. Paper copies of documentation are kept in locked storage cabinets and again accessed by authorised personnel only. Your information will be shared within Halton Borough Council (of which Halton Community Alarm Service is a part), but will not be shared with any other service or organisation without your permission. All calls made to and from both Halton Community Alarm Service and Halton Direct Link are recorded for training, monitoring and security purposes. Halton Community Alarm Service and Halton Direct Link adhere to Halton Borough Council s Voice Recording Policy. How much does it cost? The service currently has three levels, each of which has a weekly cost and will be discussed with you. However, some service users who are in receipt of benefits may be eligible for the service to be funded under the Supporting People Fund. Levels 2 and 3 will initially charged at Level 1 during a two week assessment period, following this period charge increases to that of service Level 3. The service is billed four weekly in arrears by Halton Borough Council s Health & Community Directorate. The invoice can be paid by Direct Debit, Credit or Debit Card in person or over the telephone, Cash at Halton Direct Link, Cheque by post or Standing Order. 8

11 Could we help your friends or family? Betty is 83 and has some mobility problems which puts her at risk of falls. Her family do not live locally. Betty wants to live as independently as she can in the comfort of her own home for as long as possible. Halton Community Alarm Service allows her and her family, that choice. 9

12 How do I apply? A Community Alarm can be requested by contacting Halton Direct Link via the methods on the inside of the back page. You can do this by telephone, in person or in writing (by , correspondence or facsimile). The advisor will ask for some information about you and pass the referral to Halton Community Alarm Service. The Community Alarm Service will receive the referral, and based on medical need and the requested timescale, will book an appointment with you to arrange assessment, demonstration and installation of the service. Why do I need an assessment? When the Community Wardens, from the Community Alarm Service, visit they will complete an assessment with you, taking note of information concerning yourself (including any medical conditions), your property and any significant others you would like the service to contact in the event of an emergency. The Community Wardens will then tailor a package of equipment and services that would be of benefit you, based on the assessment conducted. They will then conduct a demonstration of the equipment that you and the Community Wardens have selected. If you are happy with the equipment and service installed then the equipment will be left with you and the service will start. If you decide to not have the service, you are under no obligation to accept it. Halton Community Alarm Service accepts the role of an advocate What if my needs change? Halton Community Alarm Service, or a member of Halton Borough Council s Adults and Community Services will contact you at least annually to confirm the details that we hold for you are correct and ensure that the service is meeting your needs. If they are not being met please make us 10

13 aware and we will carry out a reassessment of your needs. If you find that your needs have changed prior to our annual check, please let un know via one of the methods on the inside of the back page of this leaflet. How to cancel the service If, once the Community Alarm Service is installed, you decide that you no longer require the service, there is initially a 21 day cooling off period. Following this, the service can be cancelled at any time, where a convenient appointment for both yourself and the Community Warden Service can be made for disconnection of the service. To arrange disconnection, contact the service via one of the methods on the inside of the back page of this leaflet. If you wish to make a complaint If you would like to complain about the service, you can do this by contacting us in one of the methods on the inside of the back page of this leaflet. When you call, we will listen to your complaint and take down brief information about the complaint, and the outcome that you would like. The details will then be forwarded to a manager who will contact you to discuss the complaint further. The manager will then resolve the complaint and notify you in writing of the outcome. For further information on Halton Borough Council s complaints procedure please contact our customer service department on A leaflet is included with the assessment pack you received at the start of service. You can also request a copy via the methods below and you can download a copy from Halton Borough Council s website ( 11

14 Service user consultation Halton Community Alarm service welcomes any comments or compliments of which can be passed to the service via any of the contact methods below. The service also runs a Service User Focus Group, if you or your significant others would like to become members of this group please contact us, via the contact methods on this inside of the back page of this leaflet. Halton Community Alarm Service Municipal Building, Kingsway, Widnes WA7 7QF Telephone: If you need this leaflet in a different format such as large print audiotape, Braille or another language, please contact our Customer Services on