Pictured above: Jim Ellam
People in Staffordshire are the first in the UK to benefit from
a new telehealth application from assisted living specialists
Alvolution, that enables health and social care professionals to
provide personalised technology prescriptions.
Staffordshire County Council is a trailblazer in the UK,
piloting the comprehensive product comparison website from
Alvolution. The site is already being used by a cross section of
public sector workers involved with the health or social care of up
to 800,000 Staffordshire residents. The comparison website helps
these professionals choose the best product package for
individuals, using their personalised budgets.
Applicable to a broad range of the population, assisted living
technologies are helping individuals maintain a dignified,
independent life and are relevant to housing officials, housing
associations, care homes and social care workers as well as
clinicians and nurses. The comparison website helps these
professionals choose the best product package for individuals,
using their personalised budgets.
Jim Ellam, Assistive Technology Project Lead, Prevention and
Independence Team, Joint Commissioning Unit, Staffordshire County
Council said: "In such a fast-moving market, it is essential that
those of us in public healthcare set new standards of best practice
and promote these technologies internally and externally. From
sustainability to mobility, memory aid to medicines compliance, the
many functions a single device can fulfil has the potential to help
the NHS and the councils, improve care while saving costs.
"By working together to raise awareness, not just of telecare,
but also telehealth, we can customise and personalise solutions for
individuals, cost effectively. We need to recognise that just as
there are a range of issues, there can be a range of solutions. But
here, knowledge is the most important factor. We have to be able to
inform the public, share our product expertise with our colleagues
and fellow professionals and recommend solutions."
Alvolution's Manager Rob Chester explains further: "For example,
a pill dispenser will perform a variety of functions. It's acting
as a memory aid for someone with dementia, making it easier to
someone with poor dexterity to take his or her medication, and it's
helping to improve medicine compliance. That's three problems
solved for one small individual investment."
Alvolution worked closely with Staffordshire Council to refine
the web-based product comparison site, to make this unique resource
available to every professional who could benefit within the
county. "The application answers the most important questions. What
is available? What does it do? Where can we go? How does it
compare? Is it recommended? And that information is available to
everyone within an organisation - greatly enhancing internal
communication," added Rob.
This professional tool can be used to signpost users to all the
technologies that are available to meet their needs. User friendly,
it helps with both specific need-generated enquiries and more
general welfare searches. Searchable by condition, by scenario, or
by technology, a range of options is presented, clearly
highlighting product uses and benefits.
For more information about Alvolution, please visit their
website: www.Alvolution.co.uk