Decision details

To undertake a review of the future arrangements for the monitoring of alarm calls from the Careline Service Users.

(1)        That, in accordance with Option Three in the report, the Council’s Careline Monitoring Service be outsourced to an external provider through a competitive tendering exercise;

(2)        That a further report be submitted to a future meeting of the Cabinet regarding:

            (a)        a restructure of Housing Older Peoples Services following the          Careline Service being outsourced; and

            (b)        future charges to users based on the cost of the outsourced             service;

(3)        That, in order to mitigate any risks to the service during the transitional period (as set out in the Risk Management Section of the report), budget provision be made as follows:

            (a)        retrospective approval be agreed under emergency budget provision for the purchase of the PNC call answering equipment funded by         a virement of £32,000 in 2016/2017 from the Non-Cost Reflective Repairs             Budget; and

            (b)        additional revenue funding of £38,000 be agreed as part of the         Housing Revenue Account budget in 2017/2018 in order to meet the costs of      the ex-gratia retention payments and any potential costs of handing over the       service to the manufacturer during periods of staff shortages.