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United Response trials telesupport as a possible means of meeting future social care demands.
By 2050, it's predicted that four times as many people will need social care as today, which will result in a major resourcing crisis for the care sector. That's why United Response is the first charity pioneering a new integrated telephone/video system as a means of supporting people with learning disabilities or mental health needs. It's called telesupport.
The project embraces cutting edge technology - a stand-alone unit incorporating broadband-enabled telephone, video screen and camera - to pilot a flexible, 24 hour form of support. Telesupport will complement face to face provision, offering a service which is available as and when people need it. Additionally, by reducing some unnecessary home visits, overall costs will be reduced.
United Response's partner in the project is AuPix, leading UK experts in the delivery of new solutions incorporating IP and video technology. AuPix have created a unique, tailored solution for the telesupport project which ensures it is fully user friendly for people with learning disabilities or mental health needs.
United Response has already run two workshops involving the technology to test the outline concept. Feedback from people with learning disabilities or mental health needs was overwhelmingly positive, with users finding the devices easy to use and believing they would be both reassuring and highly practical.
As a result, United Response is funding a limited trial, with 5 people with learning disabilities and 3 people with mental health needs using the technology. 7 residences have had the technology installed, so that the effectiveness of the service can be thoroughly tested and evaluated against a benchmark of current provision.
Initial findings show that, in addition to the flexibility of the service, telesupport could provide additional benefits including visual support for those who find verbal communication challenging and also assist with specific mental health conditions - helping people with schizophrenia to manage their “voices” for example, in a way that just isn't possible with an ordinary telephone.
Although telesupport must never replace essential face to face support, it is likely to be a highly valuable additional technique as part of an overall “care menu”. It is very flexible, so can fit around the schedule of the person requiring support, and their own preferences regarding privacy. Initial feedback has also shown that it could provide an excellent channel for peer to peer communications and support, as well as family contact. | 
