Commissioning FAQs

Are there procurement frameworks available for telecare and telehealth?

There are a number of procurement frameworks in place for the purchase of telecare and telehealth equipment, services, as well as health coaching and managed services (provision of a complete telecare and / or telehealth service, rather than specific elements). The frameworks provide for commissioners to quickly and easily obtain equipment and services without needing to undertake a full procurement exercise.

In addition there are several regional frameworks, which may include products or services related to telecare and/or telehealth. These include:

Fusion 21

Fusion 21 Facilities Management framework agreement. Lot 1 includes fire risk assessments, fire alarm systems, emergency lighting, fire fighting equipment, sprinkler systems and smoke alarms. Lot 2 covers door entry systems, access control, warden call systems, CCTV systems, auto security gates/doors/barriers and communal TV aerials. Fusion 21 is a social economy business which promotes collaboration to save money and create jobs. It offers coordinated buying of both supplies and contractors' services. More information about Fusion 21 is available from www.fusion21.co.uk

Northern Housing Consortium

As part of the Consortium Procurement, the Assisted Technologies framework covers installation and maintenance of security, fire safety, telecare and telehealth equipment and services. The NHC is a non-profit making and non-political membership organisation. Membership is drawn from Local Authorities, ALMOs, and other registered organisations involved in housing. The EU procurement directive compliant frameworks are available to members throughout England and Wales. For more information visit www.consortium-procurement.org.uk

Scotland Excel

Scotland Excel is the Centre of Procurement Expertise for Scotland’s local government sector which puts in place national frameworks on behalf of Councils and other public sector organisations in Scotland. The Scotland Excel Telecare and Telehealth Technologies framework was awarded in January 2015 covering a wide range of Telecare and Telehealth products and includes the following; dispersed alarm units and the peripherals and accessories to support them, health and care equipment, environmental devices, GPS devices and lifestyle monitoring equipment. The framework provides many benefits including; savings, price stability, community benefits, product warranties, standard terms for delivery and greater consistency and transparency in costs.

The framework is open to all Scottish Local Authorities, Health Boards, some Housing Associations and Scotland Excel associate members. For more information about Scotland Excel visit http://www.scotland-excel.org.uk/ or to discuss the framework in more detail please contact [email protected]

South East Consortium

The South East Consortium (SEC) provides procurement services for social housing providers in the south east of England. For more information about the consortium visit www.southeastconsortium.org.uk

It is also be possible to commission telehealth and/or telecare through local arrangements, for example CCG’s, NHS Commissioning Support Groups and Local Authorities.

Is the commissioning of telehealth and telecare likely to change?

It is expected to change with the Government plans for reform of health and social care. This will result in the emergence of new commissioning groups. For instance, the Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) responsible for improving health, commissioning and delivering health care for local residents are being gradually replaced by Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) and will have disappeared completely by April 2013. CCGs will take on responsibility for commissioning many NHS funded services under the reforms. CCG is the new terminology which replaces "GP consortia", to reflect the wider involvement of other clinicians. CCGs will have statutory responsibility from April 2013 and budgets are already being handed down from the PCTs.

3millionlives is focused on making it easier to commission telecare and telehealth. By working with stakeholders from across health and social care, 3millionlives aims to develop more straightforward commissioning, pricing and business models to facilitate the uptake of telecare and telehealth across the country to ensure that whoever can benefit from a telecare and/or telehealth service is able to do so.

Can installation of telehealth equipment be done by the current telecare installers?

In most cases “yes”; with service quality guaranteed by those organisations accredited to the TSA Telecare Code of Practice, which will become even more robust with the deployment of the integrated Telecare and Telehealth Code of Practice.