Bridgend Council pioneers’ telecare digital switchover in social care

1​7 December 2024

Bridgend County Borough Council has become the first authority in Wales to successfully complete a digital switchover of its emergency telecare alarm calls, to ensure the upmost safety of their client’s welfare.

In 2017, BT announced plans to switch off their analogue telephone network (PSTN) by 2025 and replace it with an all - IP digital solution. The old network was no longer fit for purpose and the telephone network needed to be brought in line with other countries such as France, Germany, and Sweden to meet future demands.

In readiness for the digital switchover and in a drive to mitigate any potentially negative impact on its 2,500 clients, the Telecare team at the council, alongside trusted partners Care and Repair and Galw Gofal, took swift action to ensure a successful transition. 

A Cabinet decision to invest more than £1 million in a ‘Technology Enhanced Care and Telecare’ programme enabled the authority to facilitate a seamless switchover from analogue to digital and support vulnerable people to remain at home and promote independence.

Installed by Bridgend County Borough Care and Repair team, the phased roll out of digital equipment manufactured by Legrand Care began in January 2023, with six clients successfully switching from analogue. By August 2024, a staggering 2,380 clients and 2,273 units in Bridgend County Borough had been successfully installed for the switchover (88 clients are currently outstanding due to poor signal areas).

The switch to digital has resulted in many benefits for clients, including better call quality and reliability, daily monitoring with real time overview of appliance statuses, all going to help  support individual’s safety. The wearable technology has a greater scope to utilize different

equipment to support lifestyle monitoring to predict deterioration, enabling earlier interventions. There is also better scope to converge telehealth and telecare for individuals. There are now fewer instances of failed calls received by the call centre, Galw Gofal, based in Conwy, and quicker fault detection.

Positive feedback received from telecare users has shown that the service is now more inclusive; a greater number of clients have access to telecare as no landline is required, and the unit can be placed anywhere in their house. The call quality has also improved and is now clearer when contacting the Alarm Receiving Centre.  

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Social Services, Health and Wellbeing, Councillor Jane Gebbie, said: “The completion of the digital switchover for our telecare clients is a key milestone for the authority and improves the reliability and efficiency of telecare services, ensuring that vulnerable residents receive a faster and more responsive level of support.

“The success of this switchover has also provided the foundation to moving forward with technological developments to support our services.

“Thank you to our partner organisations for their ongoing support in successfully delivering a safe and seamless transfer of nearly 3,000 service users from analogue to digital.”

Angharad Evans, Telecare and TEC developer said: “I am pleased that we were able to deliver this technology to residents to ensure their safety was maintained. By being the first local authority in Wales to achieve the successful switch to digital shows a determination and commitment in delivering technology enabled care in the community to help improve lives."

For more information on the digital switchover please visit: https://www.bridgend.gov.uk/residents/social-care-and-wellbeing/adult-social-care/bridgelink-telecare/