A Q&A with Gary Baillie from Bield Housing & Care

2​1 March 2023

Bield Response 24 (BR24) is Bield Housing & Care’s digital alarm monitoring service which operates 24/7, 365 days a year. This professional and reliable service is available to support people in both planned and emergency situations and provides greater piece of mind for their loved ones.

As the BR24 Service Manager, Gary is responsible for ensuring all aspects of our operations meet Bield requirements, leading on the delivery and improvement of BR24’s customer-centred approach across Bield, consulting with key internal and external partners whilst providing leadership and management support to the BR24 team. We caught up with him in the days before our ITEC Conference 2023 to see what he was most looking forward to - and the benefits of being a TSA Member within the past year.

G​ary Baillie - BR24 Service Manager

So, ITEC 2023 is just a few days away. What are you looking forward to hearing most about the Conference?

I am most looking forward to hearing Alyson Scurfield’s presentation ‘What do people want from technology-enablement of care, and how can the benefits be delivered’ and Professor Roy Sandbach’s presentation ‘Technology for our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation (TAPPI).’ Bield is one of the six TAPPI testbed sites in the UK and one of our key aims over the next few years is to use technology in innovative ways to empower our customers to live independently in their homes, in the way they want, for longer. As such, these presentations will be incredibly relevant to our current and future projects.

What would you like to see/hear from our ITEC exhibitors?

I would like to hear from vendors with innovative approaches to technology which facilitate interoperability among providers. I would also be interested in hearing from those who utilise technology not only for reactive purposes, but to anticipate and prevent crisis moments from occurring.

What are the key benefits you have received from being a TSA member within the past year?

The key benefits Bield have received within the past year include:

• The opportunity to join working groups to share learnings and best practice as well as receive assistance to overcome challenges relating to technology within the industry.
• Support to confidently take the correct approach and make the right decisions when implementing new ways of working whilst at the same time ensuring we are safeguarding our customers.
• The chance to work in partnership to establish personalised outcomes on a national level using technology and innovative ways of working. This also helps to raise our profile within the sector and beyond.
• The chance to undertake tailored workforce development opportunities such as specialist call handling and mental health training.
• Assistance with audits.

L​earn more about Bield Response 24 here: https://www.bield.co.uk/alarm-response-br24-telecare-services/