Guidance describing the risks and outcomes that practitioners should be looking for in relation to AT can be found in Appendix One: Identifying Opportunities for AT.

When considering AT, the following points should be considered prior to making a referral:

Practitioners will establish verbal consent and issue a Privacy Notice as appropriate. If required, Mental Capacity Assessments and best interest decisions should also be made in advance of referrals. If independent or ‘Care Act’ advocacy is identified as required, this should be arranged and the advocate involved in the process. Further guidance on advocacy and mental capacity can be found here.

Supported Living providers should be consulted prior to referral and engaged with regarding potential monitoring /response options. Agreement from all residents would be required if any equipment beyond basic safety equipment (such as smoke detectors) is going to be installed in shared areas.

Practitioners do not need to seek approval from any of the service funding panels to make a referral to Careline. Rather, panels such as QAP may ask whether a Careline referral has been made, and the reasons that AT was considered not suitable if a referral has not been made.

Practitioners can telephone Careline if they need to discuss a more complex case prior to making a referral.

Step One: Referral

• Practitioners identify an outcome for assistive technology and have a conversation about what is available and the costs with the person with care and support needs (and their family /carer as appropriate) to agree support for a referral to be made
• Practitioner completes and submits referral form on MOSAIC. Prior to the MOSAIC Portal being available, referrers who do not have access to Mosaic will complete a Word/PDF version of a referral which will then be entered on to MOSAIC.
• Careline check the referral and then make arrangements for the assessment and installation visit by calling the relevant contacts, including joint visit when appropriate.
• Feedback loop: if the referral will not proceed for any reason, then Careline will contact the referrer and update the status of the form in MOSAIC.

Step Two: Assessment and Installation

• At the appointment Careline will introduce themselves and then seek to understand the person with care and support needs, their home environment and their care and support arrangements.
• Careline will propose an AT solution that is suitable, that can be discussed and demonstrated to the person and their family or carers.
• Careline will install and test the AT solution with the person with care and support needs, before collecting service delivery information and leaving aftercare information.
• Feedback loop: The outcome of the appointment will be recorded on MOSAIC and Jontek, ensuring that the referrer receives feedback on the outcome of their referral – the installation date at the equipment provided.

Step Three: Monitoring and Response

• Careline will monitor the alarms 24/7 (unless other arrangements have been put in place)
• Gold Responding Service: If the person is in trouble or there is no response, Careline will respond by attending the person’s registered address and gaining access using the spare key that they hold.
• Silver Contacts Service: Alternatively, Careline will contact the person’s registered contacts or the emergency services, depending on the agreed protocol for the individual.
• Careline will stay in touch with ASC and report any concerns, whether they relate to Safeguarding or the suitability of the service.

Step Four: Maintenance and Review

• Reactive maintenance will ensure that people get replacement equipment if there is a low battery or other issue.
• People will be asked to test their equipment on a monthly basis.
• Careline will proactively review volume calls on a regular basis to check whether Careline is still suitable and/or the person has other unmet needs.
• Careline will also seek to contact people who haven’t used their AT for 3+ months and have been considered higher risk at assessment (i.e. high risk cases who don’t have other care or support) to check whether the service is still working as it should.

Step Five: Change in Circumstances /Ending the service

• To make changes or stop the Careline service, the person receiving the service should telephone Careline. If this is not possible then a practitioner, carer or family member may contact Careline instead.
• Practitioners should notify Careline if they become aware that the person has been admitted to hospital, access to their home has changed, they are moving or have died. Practitioners should phone or email Careline.
• The Careline provision in MOSAIC will be updated when any change /end in service is made that is expected to be permanent or indefinite.