The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) have published a new policy paper that sets out the actions that the government expects stakeholders to take to protect telecare users during the digital phone switchover.

Entitled ‘Telecare National Action Plan: protecting telecare users through the digital phone switchover’, the plan comes ahead of the switch of telephone networks from analogue to digital. This digital switchover, led by the telecommunications industry, will be complete for all providers by 2027.

According to the government, an estimated two million people in the UK currently use telecare services. As the digital phone switchover takes place, there is a risk that some analogue telecare devices will not perform reliably on digital networks. This has increased risks for telecare users.

The plan sets out the actions that stakeholders must take to safeguard telecare users during the digital phone switchover. It is predominantly aimed at communication providers, local authorities, housing providers, third sector organisations, and commercial providers.

DHSC and DSIT worked with stakeholders from across the telecommunications, telecare, and the adult social care sector to produce the plan. The Telecare National Action Plan supersedes the DHSC Telecare Stakeholder Action Plan and applies to England only.

The government says that the plan will be reviewed and iterated with the main stakeholders every six months to ensure that the response to the digital phone switchover remains effective and timely.

Importantly, the actions in the Telecare National Action Plan are set out against four main outcomes the government expects to see delivered to safeguard telecare users. The plan also includes several examples to highlight the diverse and novel approaches that are already being taken across England in support of these outcomes.

The outcomes are:

• Outcome 1: No telecare user will be migrated to digital landline services without the communication provider, the customer, or the telecare service provider confirming that the user has a compatible and functioning telecare solution in place.
• Outcome 2: Use of analogue telecare devices is phased out to ensure that only digital devices are being used.
• Outcome 3: Telecare users, their support networks, and their service providers understand what actions they need to take.
• Outcome 4: Stakeholders collaborate to safeguard telecare users through the digital phone switchover.

Under outcome 1, the government says that telecare providers and local authorities hold valuable information about telecare users. It says local authorities should share this data to ensure that telecare users can be correctly identified and the necessary safeguards are put in place.

Importantly, the policy paper states that telecare users should not be put at risk and should only be migrated to digital landline services if either communication providers, the customer, the telecare supplier, or the telecare service provider confirm they have functioning telecare in place.

Under outcome 2, the document notes that in order for analogue telecare devices to be phased out, the sale and purchasing of analogue devices needs to be stopped. Telecare suppliers should stop manufacturing analogue telecare devices. Likewise, the government expects sellers to stop selling the same devices.

The government adds that telecare buyers – both large-scale buyers like local authorities and personal buyers – need to be aware that they should no longer purchase analogue equipment.

The government also emphasises that telecare service providers should phase out the redeployment of analogue alarm devices that are already in circulation. According to the action plan, the government will work with telecare suppliers and telecare service providers to establish a feasible timeline for analogue telecare devices to be phased out and will communicate a deadline in the coming months.

Similarly, the paper states that alarm-receiving centres need to be interoperable to ensure they are compatible with new digital equipment.

Under outcome 3, stakeholders need to raise awareness of the digital phone switchover among telecare users and their support networks. The government is encouraging communication providers to be as transparent as possible with their rollout plans. This should include sharing migration plans with telecare service providers and customers on when and how telephone lines will be migrated to digital, according to the paper.

Under outcome 4, the plan notes that a Telecare Action Board (TAB) was established in January 2024 and is the primary vehicle for ongoing engagement for stakeholders for telecare and the digital phone switchover. The board will drive progress of this action plan.

Beyond the action board, DHSC and DSIT will continue working with wider telecare stakeholders to identify and address issues of the digital phone switchover for telecare users.

In addition, the paper states: “The telecare industry is complex and there is currently limited data on the market. DHSC will work with stakeholders to improve evidence gathering to use this to identify where further action may be needed.”