Welcome to our newsletter, where we provide you with the latest from Digital Telecare for Scottish Local Government. In this edition, we bring you a recap of the events within the Digital Telecare Programme over the past month, along with insights of upcoming activities.
If you have any queries regarding any of the content within this newsletter, please get in touch.
Less than 150 days until the end of the digital telephone migration!
Our Digital Telecare Programme is here to support all Scottish Local Authorities, Health and Social Care Partnerships, and Housing Associations in preparing for this transformation.
Whilst BT has extended their migration deadline to 2027, other telecom companies are unchanged and we remain committed to counting down to the 2025 deadline to ensure all Scottish Telecare Service Providers are ready well in advance.
Transitioning to digital services before the 2025 deadline is crucial to avoid any interruptions. Our dedicated Digital Telecare team is armed with the resources and expertise to help you on your journey to digital.
Comhairle nan Eilean SiarAwarded Gold Level Two Digital Telecare Implementation Award.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Telecare Service currently supports over 1000 people across the Western Isles. The service plays a crucial role in helping people live independently and safely at home, offering support and an emergency response 24 hours each day.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar was the first HSCP to adopt the Shared ARC Platform and this achievement was made possible through a strong partnership with the Digital Office who have provided support and assurance throughout the transition.
This month’s spotlight features two key updates to support Telecare Service Providers:
PLAY134 - Issues and Responsibilities Guidance
Guidance document for TSPs to manage issues and outages themselves. This document contains two templates, one is for an agreed escalation route, and the other is information to supply to Communication providers when an issue occurs.
Alcove Group is a leading care technology provider with over 10 years of innovation in supporting independence and well-being. From a team of seven, it has grown to over 100 staff and offers a full suite of digital solutions. Its flagship Video Care Phone enables secure video communication and remote monitoring—especially vital during COVID-19. Alcove now provides IoT sensors, AI-driven insights, and a fully digital alarm receiving centre. Its award-winning virtual care agency delivers 2,000+ weekly calls, supporting medication checks, well-being, and daily living. Committed to person-centred care, Alcove continues expanding its data lake and integrating third-party solutions for proactive, evidence-based interventions.
West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership Awarded Gold Level Two Digital Telecare Implementation Award
Since receiving the Bronze award in January, the team has demonstrated unwavering commitment to transitioning service users from legacy analogue alarms to modern digital telecare systems and peripherals.
Margaret-Jane Cardno, Head of Strategy and Transformation, said: "I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the WDHSCP Telecare team for achieving the Gold Level Two Digital Telecare Implementation Award. This recognition reflects your unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and person-centred care."
Case Study: Aberdeen's first purpose-built complex care accommodation has opened in Stoneywood.
Aberdeen’s first purpose-built complex care accommodation has opened in Stoneywood.
The £4.5million Stoneywood Road development will deliver specialist accommodation for eight people, offering care around the clock to some of the city’s most vulnerable people, and will welcome its first residents this month.
We worked with Aberdeen to showcase how they considered Technology Enabled Care (TEC) from the project initiation through to how they will evaluate the benefits of TEC. The Stoneywood Development in Aberdeen represents a significant achievement for Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership (ACHSCP). The design of the Stoneywood Development and TEC service will enhance the quality of care, support, and ensure the safety and well-being of both residents and staff.
Check out our case study on this development below.
Cybersecurity Alert: Protect Yourself from Cybercriminals.
The Digital Telecare Programme has been alerted of attempted phishing against a Scottish Local Authority through the Scottish Cyber Coordination Centre Threat Intelligence Priority Reporting (TIPR).
For more information on the phishing attempt and recommended actions from the Scottish Cyber Coordination Centre, see below.
West Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership Awarded Gold Level One Digital Telecare Implementation Award
West Lothian HSCP have used technology to support people to live undependably in their own homes since 1999. The service has grown since then and supports approximately 3,700 homes through a variety of assistive and environmental telecare, matching the right piece of equipment to individuals assessed need.
Their transition to digital telecare began in 2020 with a project team assessing developments in telecare and planning the digital implementation. The program was structured in stages, with collaboration between the team and suppliers to deliver a new ARC, as well as test and implement the first digitally capable alarms. They then moved toward establishing end-to-end digital connections. Progress continues toward achieving a fully digital service next year.
This award acknowledges the contributions of all staff involved in supporting service users.
There has been a recent increase in reports of cold callers who say they work for the NHS and target older people. They typically phone and refer to a recent health issue, before asking to arrange a home visit.
Fraudulent salespeople are cold calling older consumers and pressuring them into spending large sums of money on supposedly bespoke mobility products such as mattresses, chairs, bed toppers and massage pads, which are substandard or which do not meet their needs.
The best way to prevent mobility aids scams is to make sure that as many people as possible are aware of them.
TSS have created a spotlight overview of this scam and information to protect vulnerable people from scam attempts.
We'd like to share that Isla Cullen, our Content and Engagement Manager for Digital Telecare, will be leaving the organisation. Since joining the team in 2021, Isla has played a pivotal role in shaping communications and engagement across the programme, bringing creativity, clarity, and compassion to everything she’s delivered.
We thank Isla for her dedication and wish her every success in her next chapter.
Upcoming Events
Tunstall Programming Workshop
As Scotland Telecare Service Providers (TSP’s) break through the 70% barrier in digital telecare provision, we are looking at setting up learning workshops with equipment suppliers to help those using digital technology, improve service delivery, device programming and monitoring.
We are running a Programming Workshop with Tunstall focusing on dispersed alarm programming. The session aims are to strengthen programming resilience and to provide guidance on effective configuration and administration.
TPI Scotland Connect will feature a dynamic and engaging programme of expert speakers that will deliver practical knowledge and the tools to navigate the latest Factoring policies and procedures. Join us for a day of learning, inspiring and connecting.
Sharon Hannah, our Digital Telecare Project Manager will be presenting a session, 'Destination Digital'. She will show a trusted roadmap of how Housing Associations and Property Managers can go digital, with guidance and support from the Digital Telecare Programme.
She will navigate you through the different steps by sharing time-savings planning processes for getting to the finish line - 'Destination Digital'.
Join us at DigiFest Scotland 2025, the flagship national conference for digital health and social care, taking place on Thursday, 11th December in Glasgow.
Organised by the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre and delivered in partnership with the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland, in association with Futurescot as our event delivery partner, DigiFest is the official event for everyone shaping the future of health and care across Scotland. From NHS teams to social care providers, housing and third sector organisations, local authorities, Health & Social Care Partnerships and research communities—this is your space to connect, share, and lead.
This year, DigiFest arrives at a critical moment.
December 2025 marks the start of the national rollout of the Digital Front Door programme—beginning in NHS Lanarkshire. This transformative initiative will revolutionise how citizens access health and social care services, giving people easier, faster and more intuitive digital pathways to the care and support they need.
Whether you’re delivering services on the frontline, designing better systems behind the scenes, or researching the next generation of care models, DigiFest is where it all comes together.
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