Telecare and Careline alarms
The Careline Team is working hard to make sure we continue to receive alarm calls and provide you with an excellent service during this unprecedented time.
We are currently working with other service providers to ensure our service users are assisted in the event of any emergency, and this will continue to happen using our responsible measures.
If you have been asked by an NHS Professional or have decided to isolate yourself, please can you let us know by calling 020 8594 3086. This information will enable us to provide you with the best support possible whilst limiting any risks to you and our Officers.
Coronavirus - Frequently asked questions
Will the Careline Services close during the Coronavirus pandemic?
No. The Careline Service will continue to provide a service 24 hours a day.
Will I still be able to contact the Careline Service?
Yes. You can continue to contact Careline by dialling 020 8227 3083 or 020 8594 3086. These lines are open 24 hours a day. You can also email us via careline@lbbd.gov.uk
If I have an emergency and activated my alarm for help, will the call be answered?
Yes. The Careline Team will still be available to answer alarm calls should you have an emergency.
The Careline Team will continue to assess the situation and contact the listed Contacts along with the required emergency service if required.
Will the Careline Service come out and respond to me at home during the Coronavirus pandemic?
Yes. Careline Officers will respond and attend to service user’s homes during the pandemic. The Careline officer will maintain a 2 metre distance when responding to safeguard our service users and limiting any risk of spreading the infection. We will get you help in the event of an emergency by passing the details onto the emergency services.
Will the Careline Service continue taking new referrals?
Yes. The Careline Service will still be taking new referrals, however these will be assessed and prioritised depending on the level of urgency.
Will the Careline Service continue assessing Service Users and providing equipment?
Yes. The Careline Service will continue to assess service users and provide equipment. Assessments will be carried out via telephone and installation will be carried out by the Careline officers at the service users homes. We also provide the option of self-installation. The equipment will be delivered to the service users homes, including an easy to follow self-installation guide.
Service users can dial 020 8227 3083 or 020 8594 3086 should they require assistance.
Telecare
Telecare is monitoring equipment that can be installed in your home if you have a disability or are an older person. It covers a range of items from simple pendant alarms that alert a call centre when pressed to more complicated systems that monitor health conditions.
If you require any of the equipment listed below then please contact the Adult Triage Team on 020 8227 2915 to request a Telecare referral.
Information on Telecare technology available for LBBD residents
- Basic Telecare alarm unit and pendant
- Oysta alarms: Oysta are our latest GPS alarms which not only live track the service user but also can detect falls.
- GPS watches: These watches are for residents suffering with Dementia / Alzheimer's.
Additional sensors / peripherals available
- Movement sensors: detect if someone falls out of bed or if they are immobile for too long.
- Door sensors: let you know when someone leaves or enters the home. An alert could be sent if this is happens at an unexpected time of day, if someone leaves and doesn’t return after a set time or if the front door is left open.
- Wearable alarm pendants (neck or wrist options available): pressing a button sends an alert to a monitoring centre.
- Fall detectors (neck or wrist options available): send an alert if they sense a sudden jolt or downward movement.
- Bed or chair sensors: positioned over or under a mattress or on the seat of a chair, they can detect if someone moves or falls from their bed or chair, or fails to get out of bed, for example.
- GPS tracking devices: keep track of someone when they are out and about especially residents suffering with dementia.
- Flood detectors: sensors in the kitchen or bathroom can spot if water is overflowing or a tap has been left on. They can send an alert or even turn off the water supply.
- Smoke or gas detectors: These emit a loud alarm if triggered, and also transmit an alert to a monitoring centre who will contact the LFB.
- Incontinence sensor: provides a warning if a person urinates or vomits while in bed.
- Heat/temperature sensors: by detecting extreme temperatures in the home, they can spot a fire hazard or avoid the risk of hypothermia.
- Epileptic seizure alarm: detects the symptoms of a seizure and alerts the alarm receiving centre.
- Medication dispensers and reminders: help to remind someone to take their medicine, dispense the correct pills and keep track of what they’ve taken.
Careline
Careline is a 24 hour emergency call system. If you're an older person or have a disability, Careline alarms can help you to live independently and safely in your own home.
Careline costs
The costs below are for the basic alarm, and pendant and include assessment, installation, monitoring and responding services. Payments are charged on a quarterly basis.
The quarterly cost is £51.24
Residents may be eligible for Careline services for free if they are:
- a London Borough of Barking and Dagenham resident
- receive guaranteed pension credit or ESA (if working age) along with housing benefit and/or Council Tax benefit
Paying your Careline invoice
COVID-19 - If you cannot make payments that are due and are experiencing difficulty as a result of a reduction in your income, illness or caring responsibilities, please contact us by emailing income@lbbd.gov.uk or call 0208 227 3597.
COVID-19 support, information and advice
Invoices are due immediately. If you're not able to pay immediately, in some cases we can agree to accept instalments. To discuss instalment repayment contact the General Income Section.
General Income Section
Roycraft House, 15 Linton Road, Barking IG11 8HE
020 8227 3597
Any other queries relating to your invoice should be directed to Careline.
Careline
020 8227 3083
Pay online
You can pay online using a credit or debit card. You will need to enter your 8 digit invoice number, which can be found on the invoice we sent you.
Pay your Careline invoice online
Pay by telephone
You can pay by telephone using a credit or debit card. You'll need to enter your 8 digit invoice number, which can be found on the invoice we sent you.
020 8227 2050
Pay at a bank
You can pay at any bank using the payment slip at the bottom of your invoice. Some banks make a charge for this service. Allow five working days for your payment to reach us.
Standing orders and bank transfers
Payments can be made by bank transfer and standing order. Contact your bank and quote your 8 digit invoice number, and give them our bank details.
Bank: Lloyds TSB
Account number: 01526028
Sort code: 30 00 02
If you don’t pay your invoice
COVID-19 - If you cannot make payments that are due and are experiencing difficulty as a result of a reduction in your income, illness or caring responsibilities, please contact us by emailing income@lbbd.gov.uk or call 0208 227 3597.
COVID-19 support, information and advice
If payment is not received on time, further action may be taken. To avoid this, contact the General Income Section.
General Income Section
Roycraft House, 15 Linton Road, Barking IG11 8HE
020 8227 3597
In order to recover payment for telecare and careline alarms, further action can include but is not limited to:
- county court judgement: this could severely affect your credit rating and may affect your ability to get loans, including mortgages, credit cards, store cards and increases in credit limits, which will result in further costs to you
- third party debt order: this prevents you from taking money out of your bank/building society account until the debt has been settled
- charging order: this prevents you from selling assets such as property, investments or land, without paying what is owed; we can apply to the court for an order allowing the forced sale of property once a charging order is agreed
Apply for a Careline alarm
Before nominating an emergency keyholder contact you should confirm with them that they're aware of their responsibilities.
The keyholder must live nearby and may be called any time of the day or night, so do not ask elderly or frail persons to act as key holders.
Emergency keyholder contact role and responsibilities Toggle accordion
Before nominating the emergency keyholder contact, the referrer or service user should confirm with them that they are aware of their role and responsibility (below) in case they receive a call from Careline Service.
The name, address and contact telephone numbers of emergency keyholder contact will be held securely on Careline Answerlink system.
It is the responsibility of the nominated key holder / responder to notify Careline Service of any changes in their contact details or their ability to act as a nominated key holder.
The nominated key holder / responder should ensure that they have a key to the service user’s home prior to installation of Telecare equipment.
In the event of an activation of any Telecare sensors the nominated key holder may be asked to call the service user and to respond and check if client is okay.
Careline service operates 24hrs, 365 days a year and can call the emergency keyholder contact at any time of the day/night, when an alarm is activated.
If the emergency services arrive before a nominated keyholder / responder and there in no other means of access to the property, then the Emergency services may force entry.
If they service user chooses keyholders where there are issues that could impact on the time it takes them to attend your home when we call them, we may ask you to sign a disclaimer confirming that you understand by choosing the keyholder you take responsibility for any limitations in the way in which they respond when we call them.
This could be the time it will take them to reach the service user due to where they live, or other circumstances that may increase the time it takes them to respond, such as childcare issues, transport, or disability.