Nikki Williams, Director of Solution Delivery & Innovation, explores the new DHSC digital telecare commissioning guidance and what it means for providers, the people they support and ILOS.
For the people we support, what matters is staying safe, staying independent and getting help quickly when needed. Families, carers and the organisations delivering that support need confidence in the technology behind it, because it underpins both a safe response today and better outcomes over time.
As services move to digital, commissioning decisions will shape how reliably support is delivered today and how services can develop to meet changing needs.
The Department of Health and Social Care’s new digital telecare commissioning guidelines for alarm receiving centre (ARC) solutions are a welcome reference point. They help organisations understand what to ask of suppliers and what evidence to look for when choosing a platform.
My colleague Angus Honeysett, Chair of techUK’s Social Care Working Group, contributed to the drafting and review of the guidance. We welcome its focus on the practical requirements of delivering a dependable, round-the-clock service.
Keeping people at the heart of commissioning
Interoperability, connectivity and cyber security can feel a long way from a person pressing their pendant. Yet each plays a part in making sure that call reaches someone who can help.
The guidance brings these considerations together, covering digital standards, resilience, service management, security and access to data. It encourages commissioners to look closely at how a solution works in practice and how it will be supported throughout its life.
For me, its real value is in connecting technical requirements to the questions services actually ask. Will the platform work with the devices we need? What happens if something goes wrong? Can we access our information and use it to improve support?
The answers affect people, teams and the choices open to a service as it evolves.
How ILOS supports those foundations
ILOS meets the requirements set out in the new ARC commissioning guidance.
ILOS is our cloud-native data and service platform. Its alarm receiving centre is a core application within that wider platform, which is designed to connect information and coordinate support around the individual and their outcomes. That brings several practical benefits for providers.
More choice as services evolve
The guidance highlights the importance of interoperability. Providers need to know how their platform will work with different devices and how existing equipment can fit into their digital transition.
ILOS uses standards-based protocols, open APIs and a communications layer designed to connect a broad range of approved digital devices. That gives customers more flexibility to choose technology around the needs of their service and the people they support. Compatibility is confirmed for each device in scope, helping providers make informed decisions about existing equipment and future investment.
Connecting information with the right controls
Connected services depend on information reaching the right people, with appropriate protection and oversight.
ILOS includes identity, permissions, data-sharing controls, traceability and audit capabilities that govern how information is accessed and shared as services become more connected. Providers can bring relevant information together while keeping clear control over its use. Any wider integration also needs the appropriate permissions, information-sharing agreements and supported interfaces.
Making information more useful
The guidance recognises the importance of access to data for reporting and for integration with other systems.
ILOS’s open API approach provides a route to connecting information across services. Within its operational applications, caller context, incident history, procedures and responder activity are all organised around the person and their needs. That helps teams understand the circumstances behind an alert and follow what happens next. For providers, it means a clearer service journey, better-informed decisions and greater visibility of responsibilities. This can also help providers review how their service is working and identify opportunities to improve support for the people who depend on it.
A foundation for better outcomes
Reliable alarm handling remains essential. But digital technology also creates opportunities to understand changing needs and offer support earlier, before a situation becomes a crisis.
With supported integrations and appropriate permissions, information from additional devices or services could contribute to a richer picture of the individual and help inform the next action. Earlier, better-informed support can make a real difference to someone’s independence, wellbeing and quality of life. These opportunities go beyond the core scope of the commissioning guidance, but they rest on the same foundations: dependable technology, secure information and services that work together.
Our ambition is to help organisations meet today’s needs while making room for more proactive, preventative and personalised support.
Moving forward together
Every provider starts from a different place. Existing equipment, local priorities and ways of working all shape the journey to digital.
We work alongside organisations to understand those needs and explain how ILOS can support their next steps, including the capabilities available, compatibility considerations and responsibilities across the service. We also look forward to continuing to work with DHSC and colleagues across the sector as the guidance is put into practice.
Whether you are reviewing current provision, planning a procurement or progressing your digital transition, the new guidance is a useful starting point for that conversation.
Throughout that journey, our shared purpose remains the same: helping people stay safe, live independently and achieve the outcomes that matter to them.
Explore ILOS and speak to our team about your service.
Read the DHSC digital telecare commissioning guidelines for alarm receiving centre solutions.
