Standards

TSA is the nationally recognised Standards Body for the delivery of technology enabled care and support services (Telecare and Telehealth) in the UK.

There are over 1.7million people receiving technology enabled services across the UK. This figure is a proportion of the total number that could potentially benefit and is expected to rise significantly as our population ages.

TSA has developed the only Integrated Telecare and Telehealth Code of Practice in the world, the result of the widest stakeholder consultation exercise ever undertaken by TSA. Government departments in England and in the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Department of Health together with TSA members have all been involved in shaping its modular framework. It is the only customer-centred integrated Code of Practice for telecare and telehealth services available.

As services develop and integration between health and social care becomes widespread, the ability to access integrated technology enabled services in essential. The TSA Integrated Code of Practice for Telecare and Telehealth will be central to ensuring that these services, whether delivered as an integrated service offer or within a specific care or health only pathway, will be of the highest possible quality.

The Integrated Code of Practice covers technology enabled services, including:

Dispersed or scheme based, basic and/or enhanced telecare, telehealth or a combination which the UK market is increasingly demanding
Mobile care and health technologies, including mCare; eHealth; video conferencing etc.
Private and statutory provided services

TSA developed the Code of Practice for use by telecare/telehealth service providers to ensure quality standards for service delivery and, critically, to assist commissioners in identifying quality providers. Its other main aim was to help assure service-users, their families and carers that they were in receipt of a quality service they could rely on. To support this approach Service Providers are inspected by an independent UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Services) accredited organisation engaged by TSA to carry out annual inspections.

TSA is also a leading partner in TeleSCoPE, a European project developing standards for telehealth.

TSA facilitated development of a new technical standard – BS8521, to further enhance interoperability for the delivery of telecare products. Following on from this achievement TSA is currently working with technology suppliers to develop an Internet Protocol for the delivery of telecare and telehealth products.