FOI Request - Community Alarm and Telecare Services
Request 101003926486
Service Model
1. Does your Local Authority operate:
a) A community alarm service
b) A telecare service
c) Both
2. Is your Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) operated:
a) In house
b) Externally commissioned
c) Through a shared service
Please state the provider where applicable.
3. If externally commissioned, is the contract volume based or a fixed annual cost?
Responder Function
4. Do you operate an in house physical responder service for alarm/telecare activations?
a) If yes, please outline responder operating hours (for example: 24/7, daytime only, overnight only).
b) If you do not provide a responder service, who attends when a physical response is required (e.g., family, care at home teams, housing staff, Scottish Ambulance Service)?
5. Do you provide responder services on islands or rural localities separately?
a) If so, please indicate any differences in hours or operating models.
Activity Levels
6. Please provide call volume data for your ARC for the most recent 12 month period:
a) Total number of alarm activations
b) Monthly call volumes (if available)
7. Please provide responder activity levels for the same period:
a) Total number of physical responder deployments
b) Monthly responder deployments (if available)
8. If available, please provide any breakdown of call types (for example: falls, no response alerts, fire/smoke activations, reassurance calls, personal care requests).
Charging and Income
9. Do you charge for community alarm or telecare services?
a) If yes, please provide your current charging rate(s).
b) If applicable, please confirm whether sheltered housing tenants are charged differently.
Workforce and Costs
10. Please provide the following if available:
a) Number of responder staff (FTE)
b) Number of telecare/technical staff (FTE)
c) Total cost of delivering community alarm and telecare services (including staffing and equipment) for the most recent year
11. If an in house responder service is provided, please outline the staffing model (for example: Care at Home Assistants, senior staff, technicians).
Service Scope
12. Do responders attend:
a) Falls
b) No response alerts
c) Medical concerns
d) Fire/smoke/CO alarms
e) Flood detectors
f) Personal care or toileting requests
g) Reassurance visits
Please indicate which categories your service physically responds to.
13. Do you have any exclusions where responders will not attend?
Future Plans or Redesign
14. Are you currently reviewing or planning changes to your community alarm or telecare service model, responder capacity, or charging arrangements?