What this consultation is about
We're consulting on proposals to make changes to the community alarm only element of the Assistive Technology service, to ensure that the eligibility criteria is fair and equitable across Derbyshire.
A community alarm operates via a pendant or wristband worn by a person, which is connected to a telephone line through a base unit and linked to a monitoring centre. If help is needed, this is obtained by pressing the button on the pendant or wristband which triggers an alert to the monitoring centre to summon assistance.
We're proposing that anyone who currently receives our funded community alarm service because they are in receipt of Housing Benefit or Pension Credit will no longer be automatically eligible for the service.
Instead, everyone who only uses our funded community alarm will be reviewed and people assessed as eligible, and only requiring a community alarm service (and not a wider package of care), will be provided with the equipment free of charge, but will need to pay the monitoring cost.
More information can be found in the Cabinet Report - Assistive Technology Services on the Council’s Democracy website:
Read more information about co-funding arrangements for non-residential care.