Technology is at the heart of an effective integrated care system, according to Walsall Council’s adult social care and inclusion director, Paul Davies.
In an interview with Community Care magazine, Mr Davies describes how the council and NHS Walsall are attempting to meet the needs of increasing numbers of people living with long term conditions, while making the best use of public resources.
Approximately 37,000 patients in the borough have long term health complaints; nearly 3,500 of these were responsible for 4,000 emergency hospital admissions in 2009-10, at a cost of £12.9m.
Following a pilot project monitoring patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in partnership with telehealth and telecare provider Tunstall, telecare is now automatically offered as a component in every care package, and is available to everyone eligible for community care services as well as to other individuals who may benefit from a preventative service.
Telecare users are charged £12.50 a month, with no charge for telehealth. The council and NHS have invested £2.5m in the service and aim to triple the return on this investment by 2017.
Walsall plans to redesign community care and adult social care pathways using telecare as the foundation.
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