Demonstrating how the Dudley Telecare Service can reduce the length of stay in hospital

Dudley Council’s telecare service has adopted the novel approach of ‘try before you buy’, to encourage take up of telecare following reports from hospital social care staff that patients refused to take up the service when informed of charges. 

Telecare is one of the options used to promote independent living and reduce the length of stay in hospitals, or the need for acute care.

Dudley’s solution to the problem was to offer patients a free comprehensive telecare service for six weeks, to support them when discharged from hospital and prevent readmission. 

A pilot scheme, matched funded by the JIP to the tune of £10,000 and linked to Russell’s Hall hospital, was set up to test the scheme.  Results showed efficiency savings of £61,170, with 83% of people who would have been charged for the service and therefore may have refused it, wanting to keep and pay for telecare equipment after the six week free period. 

Contact: Marie Spittle, Service Manager, Telecare, email: marie.spittle@dudley.gov.uk, telephone: 01384 817 456.

Read more