The TSA Crystal Award recognises excellence in TECS in the UK. It is a hallmark of quality and attracts recognition from the whole TECS community of the difference the winners and entrants make to the TECS industry and the millions of people it supports. It represents the very best solutions, products and services TECS provides.
During these times of change in our health and social care system the need for TECS including telecare, telehealth and telecoaching and related services has never been greater.
Astralines submission was based on a project of work with their partners Doro Care, Verklizan UK and B4RN, Broadband for the Rural North, who are a professionally designed fibre optic broadband network and are registered as a non-profit community benefit society. Our aim was simple, we wanted to successfully deliver an IP based carephone which communicated to the Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) via the B4RN fibre optic broadband network. For that reason Doro Care were at the forefront of creating a solution due to their expertise and longevity of offering IP based social alarms.
Our objectives were fundamental and formed part of Astralines journey in becoming the UK’s first IP based Alarm Receiving Centre. These customers now have a completely reliable and futureproof telecare monitoring system. Astraline customers who are connected to the B4RN fibre network have benefited from financial savings as they are no longer having to pay for standard telephone lines or for phone calls, saving the average customer £38 per month.
Joe McLoughlin, Head of Astraline said “Astralines approach to be an early adopter will hopefully enlighten other organisations currently considering the change and encourage them that IP connectivity is the way forward either via GPRS or Fixed Line.
He then added, “This solution will destigmatise the use of Telecare, and with widespread education in the internet of things will make it something that people want to use, offer peace of mind and reassurance to friends and family and ensure that are ageing population can live better for longer.“