Who Are We?
We are Medequip Connect, we pride ourselves on being the link between vulnerable service users and their families and the emergency services.
Unfortunately, some service users might not have immediate families or may have limited help available to them.
We provide what is considered an emergency service at the simple touch of a button. The telecare device enables the client to remain at home, in dignity with knowing that help is available should they need it.
What is Telecare?
Telecare is a personal assistance alarm that connects to the user’s telephone line in their home. They are installed within the regulation guidelines of TEC (formerly the TSA) and are issued with a small pendant.
The regulations make sure that the equipment is installed safely, in the best location ensuring that a call can be made in an emergency. Moreover, the Service user and their families are involved in every step in the choices of equipment available.
The pendant can be worn around the neck or on the wrist. In some cases, smoke detectors, and/or flood detectors can be installed that help to keep vulnerable adults safe at home.
In addition to this, we supply Falls Detectors for users that might not be able to press the button for example after fainting. The equipment installed can be activated by the pendant, or by the other devices that the client might have.
When the alarm is activated, the telephone line is used to call the Emergency Control Centre which is available 24/7, 365 days a year.
What we do behind the scenes
In your area…
We have local offices in most areas that we provide services to – this is where we receive referrals for alarms either from Family and Friends or from the client.
We also receive referrals from local social services or in some instances from doctors surgeries who want the client to be ‘safe at home’.
At the local office, we process the referrals in line with the TEC regulations, hold stock of alarms for installation and also refurbish and recycle alarms wherever possible reducing electrical equipment waste.
We also book in repairs where an alarm might have developed a fault and ensure that an installer or engineer is sent as soon as possible to keep the client safe at home.
On the job…
In most of the Areas that we operate we offer a last resort emergency response. This is agreed at the time of installation of the alarm.
If the service user doesn’t have family members in the area, or they have fallen but are not hurt we can send one of our Emergency responders to assist the client.
Our Emergency Responders are strategically placed in the area’s that we operate, our main aim is to provide a physical response to emergencies in an agreed time.
Our responders are trained to help a client safely up after a fall if they are not injured. This reduces some of the strain from the Ambulance service who might otherwise have been called to help a vulnerable person after a fall.
At our head office…
From our head office, we coordinate all the services that we provide, our accounts team, local human resources and recruitment team and operations Manager all work at head office.
This is also where our Emergency Response Centre is located, and where the calls are received 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
We have trained emergency call handlers who receive the call from the client’s alarm which opens a speech path where we can reassure the service user that help is being arranged.
We receive calls that vary from reassurance calls, clients that have fallen and in some cases the emergency services might be required if our customer is injured or where a fire has activated the smoke detector.
In the future…
We are constantly working with new equipment developers with the primary focus on being to be able to help people to be even more independent.
Independence shouldn’t mean being restricted to the service users’ home, we want to provide equipment and choice that will allow people to enjoy every minute they have.