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.
North Ayrshire HSCP Awarded Silver Digital Telecare Implementation Award
North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership has been awarded the Silver Digital Telecare Implementation Award, recognising their significant progress in transitioning from analogue to digital telecare.
The award marks a major milestone, requiring successful completion of key testing, often the most technically challenging phase.
The service supports around 3,700 users across North Ayrshire, including Arran and Cumbrae, with 92% now using digital-ready alarms and 400 already connected via SIM or broadband.
Their next goal is the Gold Level One Award, focusing on expanding digital connectivity.
This achievement would not have been possible without dedicated staff, and thanks to them, the service is on track to complete the transition to digital by summer 2026!
The Digital Office for Scottish Local Government, in collaboration with FarrPoint, has released a report on the benefits of telecare. While telecare’s value has long been recognised, this report provides the first clear evidence that quantifies and demonstrates its impact.
Key Highlights:
Improved Service Outcomes: Telecare is enhancing the quality and responsiveness of care services across Scotland.
Financial Savings: The report identifies measurable, bankable savings for health and social care providers.
System-Wide Efficiencies: Telecare is contributing to streamlined processes and better resource allocation within Scotland’s health and care sector.
This report strengthens the case for continued investment and innovation in telecare solutions, supporting our shared goal of delivering sustainable, person-centred care.
Case Study: South Ayrshire HSCP: Transforming Telecare Response with the Responder App
Discover how South Ayrshire Council transformed its telecare response with the Responder App, cutting call times, reducing errors, and streamlining admin for frontline teams.
The app’s rollout has led to measurable efficiency gains, including fewer communication errors and reduced call volumes to the Alarm Receiving Centre. While some technical hurdles and mapping limitations remain, the project’s success highlights the value of digital innovation in social care.
The case study delves into the lessons, challenges, and future plans from this digital innovation.
Health and Social Care Moray Awarded Gold Level One Digital Telecare Implementation Award
Health and Social Care Moray has been awarded the Gold One Digital Telecare Implementation Award, recognising their successful transition from analogue to digital telecare.
This milestone required the launch of a fully operational digital alarm receiving centre and a live digital service for at least 20% of users. Moray now supports 1,364 active community alarm connections, with nearly half of all live devices fully digital after joining the Scottish Shared ARC.
The project resumed in late 2023 after a pandemic pause, shifting focus to proactive and preventative digital solutions. Analogue deployments ceased in early 2024, and updated eligibility criteria now prioritise client safety. Despite not having a dedicated Telecare team, staff at the Joint Equipment Store in Elgin played a key role.
With over 50% of users now on digital alarms, Moray is well-positioned to pursue the Gold Level Two award.
Case Study and Blog: Castlehill Housing Association's A2D Journey - Telecare Upgrades & Decommissioning Process 2024/25
Castlehill Housing Association has successfully upgraded and decommissioned telecare systems across its sheltered housing schemes, embracing digital solutions to improve tenant safety and compliance.
Through careful planning, collaboration, and tenant engagement, the project delivered modernised fire panels, lifts, and door entry systems, earning Castlehill the Scottish Digital Office 5-star award and setting a benchmark for efficiency and innovation in the sector.
We have been working with Castlehill Housing Association to document this journey from analogue to digital telecare, and the case study and blog are now available on the Playbook.
Digital Telecare Playbook Spotlight
This month’s spotlight features a few key updates to support Telecare Service Providers:
PLAY016b- Fixed Broadband Connectivity for Digital Telecare
PLAY016b provides essential guidance for Telecare Service Providers on deploying digital telecare alarms using fixed broadband connectivity.
The document outlines the benefits, while also addressing operational complexities, power considerations, and cyber security.
PLAY117- Digital Telecare for Grouped Schemes
This document outlines key options, including retaining legacy systems or adopting new digital solutions, and highlights the importance of collaboration with stakeholders, clear planning, and updating operational processes to ensure safety, service continuity, and future readiness. It also addresses regulatory changes, technical considerations, and offers practical advice for successful migration, supporting informed decision-making as digital technologies evolve in housing environments.
PLAY140 - Problem Definition Guidance
Outlining best practice for defining problems and challenges in data-driven digital telecare projects, this document covers practical steps such as data acquisition, standardisation, cleaning, and visualisation, ensuring that data input leads to meaningful outcomes and informed decision-making.
Video- Step Down Project- Edinburgh HSCP
Nicky Scally from Edinburgh HSCP discusses the Step Down Project and its impact on delayed discharge. The session highlights how the project supports smoother transitions for individuals leaving hospital care, aiming to reduce delays and improve outcomes through collaborative digital solutions. The recording provides insights into the project’s approach, challenges, and achievements, making it a valuable resource for those interested in digital transformation and service improvement in health and social care.
Sharing Knowledge: Where We’ve Been and What We’ve Shared
October has been a busy month for the Digital Telecare Team!
Our team has recently participated in several key sector events, including the TEC Housing Conference, the TPI Factoring Conference, and the Chiptech Community Live: Scotland roadshow.
These engagements provided valuable opportunities to share insights, connect with industry peers, and stay up to date with the latest developments in technology-enabled care and housing innovation.
Stay Connected: Tell Us Where You’d Like to Participate
This form allows you to share your contact details and indicate which meetings, channels, or project streams you’re interested in.
By letting us know your preferences, we can make sure you’re invited to the right discussions and involved in the areas that matter most to you.
Your input helps us coordinate attendance and engagement across all our activities.
The TSA Scam Guidance document provides practical advice for telecare service providers on recognising, preventing, and responding to scams that target vulnerable individuals. It covers common scam tactics, warning signs to look out for, and steps organisations can take to safeguard service users, including staff training and clear reporting procedures.
The guidance also highlights the importance of partnership working and keeping up to date with the latest scam trends to ensure effective protection.
Digital Leadership Webinar- Pioneering Digital Telecare: Harnessing data and digital to unlock innovation
On the 10th December, David Brown, Colin McFadyen, and Sam Leonard will be speaking at the Digital Leadership Webinar, sharing insights under the theme “Pioneering Digital Telecare: Harnessing data and digital to unlock innovation.”
The session will showcase our ongoing work supporting the transition from analogue to digital telecare, including the development and implementation of the Shared Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) and our dedicated data project stream.
Attendees will gain an understanding of the background and evolution of digital telecare in Scotland, the benefits of collaborative approaches, and how harnessing data is driving service improvement and innovation.
This is a valuable opportunity to learn from leaders at the forefront of digital transformation in health and social care.
Join us at DigiFest Scotland 2025, the flagship national conference for digital health and social care, taking place on Thursday, 11 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.
