Understand
High Peak Borough Council sets closure date for Carelink 24-hour care service
Overview
High Peak Borough Council has announced that its 24-hour Carelink telecare alarm service for vulnerable and elderly residents will close on 19 October due to staffing shortages. The council stated it needed 20 staff to safely operate the discretionary service but only had eight. While local clinicians warned the closure would leave vulnerable people in a dire situation, the council said it has been helping customers find alternative private provision, though residents in council sheltered accommodation will retain warden and out-of-hours support.
Key points
- High Peak Borough Council's 24-hour Carelink alarm service is set to close on 19 October.
- The service supports vulnerable and elderly people who pay about £10 per week for emergency pendant alarms.
- The council stated it could no longer safely staff the service, having only eight staff members when 20 were needed.
- Nearly 3,000 calls were made to the service last year, largely for falls in people's homes.
- Local clinicians warned that vulnerable people would be left in a dire situation without the service.
- Residents in the council's sheltered accommodation will continue to receive warden support and a new out-of-hours service.