Forestcare

1. Introduction to Forestcare

Forestcare is Bracknell Forest Council's 24-hour telecare response centre based in the heart of Bracknell.

They install and monitor a range of telecare solutions for both individuals and organisations.

They are regulated by both the Telecare Services Association and the Care Quality Commission to make sure the services offered are of the highest standard.

Their dedicated team is there every day of the year to provide support and assistance.

Telecare

Telecare is the term used to describe the range of equipment that can alert a call centre when, for example:

  1. A person falls; or
  2. A person leaves their home unexpectedly; or
  3. A person needs assistance.

Examples of Telecare equipment include:

  1. A personal alarm (pendant alarm);
  2. A falls alarm;
  3. A door sensor.

Other services

In addition to telecare, Forestcare provide several other services:

Care Calls

Care calls are reassurance and/or reminder calls from one of the team at any time of the day. This may be to remind the person when to take their medication, to check their wellbeing or even just to say hello and check that they're ok.

Responder Service

The responder service provides CQC registered emergency home care anytime of the day or night, for a range of situations, including assistance with falls & personal care; unplanned discharge from hospital; help in an emergency when carers or family members are unavailable.

2. Providing Telecare

Telecare can be provided:

  1. As part of a Reablement service; or
  2. To support hospital discharges; or
  3. Alongside services to meet on ongoing care and support needs; or
  4. Independent from all of the above.

It is available to people who live in:

  1. Their own home;
  2. Rented accommodation (including Local Authority accommodation);
  3. Supported living;
  4. Extra Care;
  5. Shared lives placements.

If a person lives in residential or nursing care Telecare is normally the responsibility of the provider to assess and arrange.

3. Information and Advice about Telecare

The Forestcare page on the Bracknell Forest Council website has lots of useful information.

See: Forestcare

All Forestcare staff have a wealth of product knowledge in relation to Telecare. For first-hand information and advice contact Forestcare directly:

Telephone: 01344 786500

E-mail: Forestcare.enquiries@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

4. Charging for Telecare

Information about current pricing can be found in the on the intranet.

See: Forestcare Prices 2021-22

Prices are reviewed annually every April.

Payments for all services can be made by monthly direct debit, quarterly invoice, card online or over the phone.

Local Authority funding

Where the need for Telecare has been identified through a formal assessment the local authority may provide funding (subject to current charging policy).

5. The Care and Support Plan

If the person has an existing (or developing) Care and Support Plan any Telecare that is provided to meet on-going needs must be recorded in the plan.

6. Establishing the Need for Telecare

Telecare should not be provided until an appropriate and proportionate assessment of need has been carried out.

Any social care practitioner can assess the need for Telecare as part of a needs assessment if they are confident to do so.

Social care practitioners can also request a Forestcare Advice and Assessment Officer carry out an Assistive Technology assessment to support any other assessment and determination about the best way to meet or prevent needs for care and support.

To make these arrangements contact Forestcare directly:

Telephone: 01344 786500

E-mail: Forestcare.enquiries@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

7. Arranging Telecare

Self-funders

People who will be self-funding any Telecare should contact Forestcare directly to arrange an appointment:

Telephone: 01344 786500

E-mail: Forestcare.enquiries@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

Webpage: How to order your selected service

Bracknell Forest ASC

Social care practitioners should contact Forestcare directly:

Telephone: 01344 786500

E-mail: Forestcare.enquiries@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

Healthcare professionals

Healthcare professionals wishing to refer a person to Forestcare, should do so online.

See: Refer a client to Forestcare for all Telecare support.

8. Monitoring and Reviewing Telecare

Monitoring standards of service

Targets for call monitoring and response times at Forestcare are provided by the industry regulator The TSA (Telecare Services Association).

Monitoring effectiveness

All monitoring activity should be recorded in line with local recording requirements.

At such time when monitoring is no longer required it may cease.

Review

Any Telecare that is part of a person's Care and Support Plan should always be reviewed as part of the statutory review of that plan.

In addition to statutory reviews, anyone using Forestcare can request a review of their current Telecare arrangements by contacting Forestcare directly:

Telephone: 01344 786500

E-mail: Forestcare.enquiries@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

9. Repairing Telecare

If anyone has a problem with their equipment, they (or their representative) should contact Forestcare directly to report the issue:

Telephone: 01344 786500

E-mail: Forestcare.enquiries@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

Alternatively, they can press the red button on the pendant / lifeline alarm to put a call through to the control centre.

Depending on the nature of the fault, an appointment will be made for an Assessment & Advice Officer (AAO) to attend within a specific timeframe.

In some situations, an equipment fault will be automatically raised in the control centre by the call handling system. In these instances, a Forestcare staff member will contact the customer in order to establish if there is an equipment fault, and if there is, what the problem might be.

10. Removing Telecare

If equipment is no longer needed and needs to be returned, the person (or their representative) should contact Forestcare in the first instance:

Telephone: 01344 786500

E-mail: Forestcare.enquiries@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

A padded bag will then be sent out for the equipment to be returned to Forestcare.

When being returned, there is no charge to the person for this service as all equipment is sent using a pre-paid reply service.

Once the equipment is back with Forestcare, the final paperwork / invoice will be processed, and the account closed.

Note: If a Care and Support Plan review has determined that Telecare equipment is no longer required these arrangements should only be made when any alternative provision to meet needs is in place.