Why Standards are Important?
The Telecare Services Association develops standards primarily for use by telecare and telehealth service providers to ensure quality of service delivery and, critically, to assist commissioners in identifying quality providers. The Telecare Code of Practice was first introduced in 2000 and has undergone regular review and development to keep it relevant. Telecare is a life-critical service on which service users rely. Accreditation offers confidence and reassurance that telecare will deliver when it is needed and is a valuable tool for service Commissioners.
TSA is currently developing the telehealth element of the code of practice. Working with government, as well as clinical experts, and specialists from across telehealth development and delivery, the telehealth code will be completed during 2012, and be available for first inspections during 2013. This modular Code of Practice will integrate with the existing Telecare Code of Practice, enabling integrated services to become code accredited, as well as separate telecare and telehealth services.
What COP will do for you
Commissioning a service with a code accredited organisation gives you the guarantee of a high level of service delivery; and also gives service users and patients a sense of reassurance. Using an accredited Telecare (and in the near future a Telehealth) service provider provides confidence that telecare will deliver when it is needed and is a valuable tool for commissioners.
Organisations can only become accredited by meeting challenging targets consistently, so they are under pressure to offer the best service that they can.
The organisations are audited annually, by TSA's independent auditors, to ensure that they keep their levels of service at a constant and dependable level. Telecare code accreditation can offer the following benefits:
- Guaranteed response from telecare calls/alarms
- Clear information and support for service users
- Business continuity in the event of system failures
The benefits of telehealth code accreditation will be summarised when the code is launched, but will include the assurance of an independently audited minimum standard of service across appropriate modules.
Commissioning code accredited services sends the message to the industry that the services you offer provide a guaranteed, reliable level of service. It also leads to confidence and reassurance for the service user, patient, their family and carers, as they know help will be at hand if there ever is an emergency.
For more information regarding Standards and the TSA Telecare Code of Practice, please visit the Standards page of the website
