Assessing the benefits of telecare in Herefordshire

Evaluation of the use of telecare in Herefordshire in 2011-12 shows the potential for significant savings and improved outcomes for councils and service users, if used on a wider scale.


The evaluation supports the case for using telecare in a more strategic way across adult social services and the NHS.   

Outcomes and efficiencies evaluation summary


Effectiveness

• The effectiveness of supporting people to live independently is demonstrated in a number of examples where support has reduced the need for services. More could be achieved by focusing resources on secondary prevention with the purpose of helping a higher proportion of people with more severe or complex needs, to live independently.


• There are also examples of better outcomes where telecare has been judged to be the key factor: nine people avoided or deferred admission to a care home, 11 avoided or deferred an increase in home care. These are significant achievements affecting the quality of life and representing considerable savings in expenditure.

Efficiency Savings

• Of the 1,167 people who received telecare, an estimated saving of £1.2m- £1.3m was achieved in the social care sector, and £58k- £65k in the NHS. Savings for the NHS are known to be under-reported.


• These savings represent the efficiency gains from only 26% of telecare users, whose telecare was in place as part of the Fair Access to Care Services (FACS) eligibility criteria. The figure does not include a high proportion of telecare that was used for people who were not FACS eligible as a preventative measure or for reassurance.


• Very frail older people and people with learning disabilities accounted for the highest levels of efficiencies gained.

Strategic Potential

• There is clear potential to achieve better outcomes and efficiencies for services and service users. Take up of telecare has recently dropped, but this can be easily improve


• Based on current patterns of use, action to increase take up by older people by10% a year from  2013-14, would generate efficiencies of approximately £989,000 per year and a good return on investment.


• Factors likely to increase effective, efficient use of telecare include a commitment from senior management and elected representatives to integrate its use in services; training to encourage a more confident application of expertise by assessors; changes to, and monitoring of working practices in assessment, review and support planning; as well as improved performance management.
  
  
  The evaluation was led by Kim Conner and Mike Beazley of Care Performance Partners, working with staff from Herefordshire County Council and the Wye Valley Trust. The method used was developed from the Department of Health CSED toolkit and based on a sample of 6 people.