Good practice for telecare services in the UK

Abstract

The growth of telecare is providing an infrastructure that will underpin services at home for an increasing number of people with support needs in the UK. The growth is prompted, in part, by grant funding from central government and the devolved administrations. It also relates to imperatives that (a) respond to people's choices; (b) promote better health and well‐being; and (c) seek savings in public money. Increasing proportions of telecare service users have critical or substantial needs (according to the Fair Access to Care Services criteria operated by social services authorities). There is the concomitant requirement that such services must be provided in accordance with good practice. This paper explores some of the issues around that good practice and the way that the Telecare Services Association Code of Practice is changing to ensure that progress is made towards good practice goals.