The digital transition and the next generation of technology

0​2 May 2023

Gavin Bashar, UK & Ireland Managing Director at Tunstall Healthcare, discusses the digital transition, what the next generation of technology will look like and how Tunstall can support service providers through the switchover

The move from PSTN to digital switch over is happening at a time when connectivity has become even more intrinsic to the way we work and live.The combination of digital, all-IP and full fibre optic network will affect all industries and we need to collectively address new opportunities for the modern era, where real-time processing and unified communications are required, video is as important as voice, and high-speed data is needed.

We must build on the collaborations that have been initiated to shape a system that is better able to serve people in a fast-changing world. This will help to ensure the future of technology within the digital health and care space.

As an industry, we must continue to collaborate and communicate at all levels to ensure consistent standards and solutions to avoid confusion and support effective care provision. Many end users may be unaware of the upgrade, and providers need to ensure they are not only prepared for the digital future in terms of equipment and services, but also ensure service users, and their families, are educated in the initial changes and the overall impact of the switch on them in order to avoid unnecessary anxiety or distress.

The next generation of digital solutions

The latest generation of digital technologies that is being delivered to align with the digital transition opens up a new world of possibilities. This includes broadening the circle of care to engage families, friends and communities, and promotes services that are data-driven. We recently launched two new products at ITEC to support health, housing and social care providers through the digital transition and beyond.

Our PNC IP and Lifeline Digital™ IP dispersed telecare alarm unit are new, IP-enabled solutions that will support a range of organisations in the ongoing delivery of successful services to vulnerable people across the UK. This includes social care and housing providers, alarm receiving centres, and TEC providers. Our solutions support open protocols and can operate with equipment from other technology providers.

PNC IP is a new generation of our secured and accredited Alarm Handling software, enabled with IP Protocols. The new solution will improve the effectiveness and efficiency of monitoring centres, with rapid alarm handling, call allocation, clear workflows, recording and reporting. It has been built around the needs of diverse customers and provides wrap-around 24 hour support. Software as a Solution (SaaS) deployment is proven, scalable and cybersecure, being compliant to ISO27001 standards, and can be combined with additional modules to support smarter back-office and referral processes. Tunstall has developed PNC IP with the ability to handle digital (IP) and analogue calls as the UK telephony infrastructure migrates, providing service continuity.

Lifeline Digital, the innovative new digital home hub, has been designed to support our ecosystem and CENELEC SCAIP, the industry standard protocol. While the new product offers consistency for customers from a management perspective, it is flexible and future proof, providing a breadth of connectivity options including WiFi, Android and iOS. The hub supports existing peripheral devices and can connect up to 64 telecare sensors. An updated speaker design presents exceptional sound quality, full duplex speech and echo cancellation, alongside a simple three button operation, and LED brightness that is customisable.

As technology providers we need to work together to deliver root and branch change across the health and care landscape, however this can be challenging to achieve. Demand is transforming the current market, and integration and investment in technology is key in supporting providers to reconfigure and integrate services as the digital transition approaches.

At Tunstall we bring health, housing and social care together with our end to end process. Our innovative health and care solutions are deeply rooted in market understanding and customer relationships, and with over 65 years’ experience across 18 countries, our powerful and proven hardware, software and services work together to deliver excellent care. Our partnership model sees us collaborate with service providers across the board to transform service delivery, solve problems and support communities, while our proven delivery of full care and safety systems supports group and independent living environments.

For more information, please visit www.tunstall.co.uk/better-together.