National briefing document: transitioning from analogue to digital telecare

As soon as 2023, analogue telephone services in the UK will be switched off and replaced by digital systems using internet protocol (IP) technology. Telecommunication suppliers are well on their journey to making this switch to ‘IP networks’ and are unable to wait for telecare service providers to fully prepare themselves. If they are left behind, service users will be at risk of receiving an unreliable service.

Scotland’s telecare service providers, including health and social care partnerships, housing associations and many other organisations which use analogue connectivity to deliver their services, will need to upgrade.

Previously, there was uncertainty regarding what the journey to digital telecare would look like, and there was a need for a programme that would produce a roadmap and deliver a collaborative approach in a co-ordinated and timely manner. Digital Telecare for Scottish Local Government was established in early 2017 to plug this gap by working with telecare service providers to identify their requirements to ensure a smooth, safe transition to a digital service for those in receipt of telecare in their home environments.

Digital Telecare for Scottish Local Government has published a National Briefing Document to raise awareness of the urgency and importance of the switch from analogue to digital telecare to the whole of the sector.

The document provides:

• an overview of the digital telecare landscape
• a roadmap, detailing the process of upgrading from analogue to digital telecare, aligning with the accelerated deadline of 2023
• an estimated timeline with an in-depth breakdown of the timescales to complete key operational components of the transition
• estimated resources and costings for the transition
• information on the impact that the transition will have on service users
• potential benefits and opportunities of a digital telecare service
• risks to be considered
• recommendations that telecare service providers should follow to minimise disruption to their service users and
• information on resources available from the Digital Telecare Programme which will support the transition journey.

Read National Briefing Document

*Please note that this document is interactive and you may need to click on various elements for further information.

It would be greatly appreciated if you would take time to read the detail of this document and share with relevant officers within your organisation who are responsible for delivering telecare services.

Further information on the wider Digital Telecare for Scottish Local Government Programme is available at telecare.digitaloffice.scot and any questions can be directed to digitaltelecare@digitaloffice.scot

Digital Telecare for Scottish Local Government is funded by the Scottish Government Technology Enabled Care Programme and facilitated by the Digital Office for Scottish Local Government.