Purpose

Since the introduction of a free telecare service, expenditure has been increasing at a rate of c.£1m each year, and with the introduction of more costly digital solutions, this annual demand pressure will continue to rise. The current annual cost of the telecare service is £5.4m per annum.

There is evidence that service users have opted to take up the service, in part because it is free, and not always because it significantly addresses their care needs or serves a genuinely preventative function. This has been reported in a range of anecdotal feedback from staff, and reaffirmed in the responses received from the public consultation which took place between 18 July and 8 August 2022.

The introduction of telecare charges will support the continuation and development of the service at a sustainable level and allow the county council to afford and embrace the full benefits offered by the transition from analogue to digital, for years to come.  At present the county council is an outlier in terms of offering a completely free service.

This is deemed to be a Key Decision and the provisions of Standing Order C19 have been complied with.