Welcome to Health and Social Care
Alarm service FAQs
- What is a Lifeline Alarm?
- What do I need to have a Lifeline Alarm?
- Will it affect my phone line?
- What if I have internet or television connections?
- How do I call for help?
- What happens when I raise the alarm?
- What happens next?
- What happens if I press it by mistake?
- What if my telephone line is faulty or disconnected?
- What happens if there is a power failure?
- What happens if the equipment breaks?
- How long will it take for someone to contact me once I make a referral?
- Do I have to pay both the monitoring cost and installation charge and how much is each piece of equipment?
- Can someone make a referral on my behalf?
- Could a member of my family receive telecare if they do not live in Knowsley?
- How do I pay for my equipment?
- What number do I use to apply for telecare?
- What is a referral?
- If I want to return my equipment, what is the process?
Note: All your personal information is
protected under the Data protection Act.
Please be aware that calls into the Emergency control centre are
voice recorded.
1. What is a Lifeline
Alarm?
It is a piece of equipment, about the size of
a small shoebox, which attaches to your main phone. This is called
the Lifeline Unit. It has a red button on the unit to raise the
alarm and also comes with a personal alarm button, which you can
wear around your neck or on your wrist.
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2. What do I need to
have a Lifeline Alarm?
All you need to have is a main phone line socket and power supply
socket near to each other. For health and safety reasons we cannot
install if the wires or cables run across a room.
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3. Will it
affect my phone line?
You will be able to make incoming and outgoing calls as
normal.
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4. What if I have Internet or television connections?
If your computer is on a broadband connection with a filter it will
be ok. Television connections on a filter will be fine. This is
where broadband connections and televisions are used in conjunction
with the Telecare equipment. Filters are attached so that if the
equipment or alarms are triggered they will still work even if the
TV and broadband are being used.
So basically you can continue to use TV’s and broadband as
normal without interference, but if an alarm is triggered it will
notify the call centre.
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5. How do I call
for help?
You can press the red button on your personal alarm or press the
large illuminated red button on your Lifeline unit.
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6. What happens when
I raise the alarm?
The Lifeline Unit signals your phone to dial into the call
centre. The call centre operator will be able to listen and talk to
you ‘hands free’ using the powerful microphone and
speaker built into your Lifeline.
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7. What happens
next?
The call centre operator will try to talk to
you to find out what is happening with you.
If you can talk to us we will take action based on what you have
told us – this may involve contacting your GP or the
emergency services.
If you cannot talk to us we will call you back by phone and if you
do not answer we will contact your emergency key holders or the
Response Service, ask them to go round and let us know what is
happening so that we can take action.
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8. What happens
if I press it by mistake?
Don’t worry. When the operator answers your call just tell
them that you are ok
and they will reset your equipment.
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9. What happens
if my telephone line is faulty or
disconnected?
If the telephone line is faulty or
becomes disconnected your Lifeline will not be able to make any
calls to the emergency call centre. If it is a fault on your
telephone line you will need to report this to your telephone
provider so that they can fix the fault.
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10. What happens if
there is a power failure?
If there is a power failure to the whole of your home or the socket
that your Lifeline is plugged into it will continue to work on the
battery back up located within the unit until the power is
restored.
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11. What
happens if the equipment breaks?
If the equipment breaks contact the Telehealth Call Centre on 0800
566 666 who will ensure that your equipment is replaced or
repaired.
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12. How long
will it take for someone to contact me once I make a
referral?
Within 24 hours of the referral being
received by the call centre.
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13. Do I
have to pay both the monitoring cost and the instillation charge
and how much is each piece of equipment?
You only
have to pay the monitoring charge. Installation and provision of
the equipment is paid for by Knowsley KMBC. The cost of monitoring
a Lifeline on its own is £1 per week and each additional
sensor is charged between 30p and 70p per week depending on the
type of sensor.
*30p per week charge applies to those sensors at levels 1 and 2.
The list in the table may not be exhaustive and the call
centre provider will confirm which category each sensor falls into
upon initial assessment.
**70p per week charge applies to all sensors at level 3 and 4 The
list in the table may not be exhausted and the call centre provider
will confirm which category each sensor falls into upon initial
assessment.
Please refer to the table at the bottom of this page for further details about installation and monitoring costs.
14. Can
someone make a referral on my behalf?
Yes. Anyone can make a referral on behalf of another
person.
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15. Could a
member of my family receive this telecare if they do not live in
Knowsley?
No. You must be resident in Knowsley in
order to receive Telecare under this scheme which is provided and
funded by KMBC. Anyone who wishes to have Telecare outside of
Knowsley should make enquiries with their respective local
authority.
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16. How do I pay
for my equipment?
You can pay for monitoring costs by Direct Debit or Post
Office payment cards if you don't have a bank account.
These arrangements are set up by the Call Centre upon installation
of the equipment.
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17. What
number do I use to apply for Telecare?
Call 0151 443 2600. There is a dedicated Team waiting to answer any
questions or you may have to make a referral for any telcare
products available.
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18. What
is a referral?
The referral form is used to apply for the equipment, although an
assessment may take place which is designed to identify what
equipment is best for the customer based on their needs. It
also looks at whether or not the equipment you have asked for
is suitable for you, or whether or not there are any alternatives
out there which will better suit your needs.
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19.
If I want to return my equipment what is the
process?
There should be a sticker on all equipment telling you what number
to call if you wish to return equipment. The free phone number is
0800 566 666.
| Level | Install charge | Monitoring charge | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | *£17.75 install (Lifeline unit and pendant only) | £1 per week | 1. KMBC will purchase equipment and pay for installation. 2. Service user or carer pays the monitoring charge. |
| 2 | £17.75 install (Lifeline unit and pendant), *bogus caller alarm, smoke detector and flood detector (environmental sensors) | £1 per week and 30p per week for each sensor | 1. KMBC will purchase equipment and pay for installation. 2. Service user or carer pays the monitoring charge. |
| 3 | £29 install (Lifeline unit and pendant), **wandering alarm, bed sensors, chair sensors (Lifestyle monitoring sensors) | £1 per week and 70p per week for each sensor | 1. KMBC will purchase the equipment and pay for installation. 2. Service user or carer pays the monitoring charge. |
| 4 | £29 install (Lifeline unit and pendant), combination of sensors for levels 2 and 3 | £1 per week and 30p per week for each environmental sensor and 70p per week for each Lifestyle sensor | 1.KMBC will purchase the equipment and pay for installation. 2. Service user or carer pays the monitoring charge. |
| 5 | £70 install for 2 hours then £20 per hour of equipment and onsite training for non call centre connection | No charge | KMBC will purchase the equipment and pay for installation and onsite training. |
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