Chubb Community Care

Oldham Council uses Broadband to improve its services to Clients

Published 12^th May 2009

“Oldham’s People, Communities and Society Directorate are showing their creative flair by introducing the benefits of I.P. based technology into the community. Evidence based reports have identified a particular community as being vulnerable to bogus callers and burglary. Many residents in the area are living on their own, are susceptible to unwanted callers and experience a feeling of isolation.

Working with their partners Chubb Community Care, a project is being tested which will allow the person living alone to seek help in the event that a caller at the door is unexpected or unfamiliar to them. The project extends to increasing the client’s feeling of inclusion and wellbeing.

An I.P camera, fitted in the porch, is linked to a broadband connection which the monitoring centre can activate from their workstation. If the client has any doubts as to whether they should open the door to the caller, they simply press the bogus caller button at the door, the monitoring centre recognise the activation of the bogus caller button, open up the speech channel on the dispersed alarm and help the client make a choice as to whether to let the visitor gain entry. Whilst the features of the bogus caller are well known throughout the telecare fraternity, the ability for the control room to view the caller through an I.P. camera in the porch is quite new. The image of the caller can be snapshot and used as evidence in court if required.

They have also identified a number of clients, who have a certain medical condition, to link up to local GP’s surgeries. It will also allow face-to-face contact with their GP as well as electronically sent information from the client to the GP. This is with the aim of reducing hospital admissions and keeping people in there own homes.

Another feature of the project is the installation of video over broadband, using the client’s television as the platform to transmit and receive live video connections between the client and the carer, whether that be a nurse, a social worker, a G.P. or even a friend or relative.

The function of the monitoring centre can now be extended to include pro-active and regular monitoring of the client but with the added benefit of each party being able to see as well as talk to each other.

The Villages Housing Association, who’s property’s are being used, or First Choice Home’s Oldham who run the 24/7 Helpline response centre will have the ability to act as an agnostic hub through which broadband video can be operated in a control room environment.

The whole project is centred around social inclusion, safety and general wellbeing, all three of which are key to increasing the client’s ability to remain in their own home.

For more information please contact Andrew Inggall, Chubb Community Care, Tel: 07866 772077, email: or website http://www.chubbcommunitycare.co.uk

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