Reprovisioning of the Night Support Service

Overview

The pressure on care services nationally, is already taking its toll and it is likely to increase. Continuing with current models of delivery is not going to be sustainable. New approaches and service delivery models need to be found that will deliver more efficient and effective care, whilst maintaining safe and good quality services.

Five Adult Social Care staff teams across each locality area currently provide night support to 34 home care service users, at a significant cost to the Council. Many Council areas such as Mid Lothian and East Lothian have replaced face to face night support with the use of Assistive Technology/Technology Enabled Care (TEC) solutions.

Assistive Technology/TEC has the ability to provide essential support using a person centred approach; it gives increased choice and sense of control to service users; improves service user safety by providing constant monitoring rather than a time-limited face to face visit and allows for an immediate response in the event there is a serious concern with a service user in need of urgent assistance.

Assistive technology/TEC could include items such as alarms, movement sensors, bed sensors and door activation monitors.

During September 2022, Adult Social Care undertook a pathfinder project to review all service users in receipt of Night Support services in the Peebles area to see if alternative solutions could be safely provided.  The pathfinder showed that in many cases a physical visit was not actually required, or that care could be provided by a dawn (from 6am) and twilight (10pm - midnight) shift to provide support with continence and prevent unnecessary disturbance overnight. There was no increase of risk or accidents due to the removal of a physical face to face visit. Technology solutions were installed, with responder staff on hand to attend to any alarm activations. Only one alarm activation required a response from the team, and the service user was actually settled in bed.  

Service users have reported that they benefit from no staff disturbance through the night and families were supportive of the change with no complaints or concerns raised during the pathfinder.

Due to the successful implementation of the pathfinder, the Council is now asking for your feedback and views on the proposal to reprovision the face to face, night support service and replace this with Technology Enabled Care (TEC) or a dawn or twilight visit across the Borders.  If the proposal goes ahead all service users currently in receipt of night support, would be reviewed individually and any changes to the way that care is provided would be discussed with them and their family representatives. There would be two responder teams to cover the Borders. These would attend to any alarm activations that may occur during the night (10pm-7.30am). Night support staff would also be consulted fully and offered suitable alternative working arrangements. There are no plans to lose any staff through this process.

Why your views matter

Your views will be used to determine the next steps for the Night Support Service.

Below are Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for the Night Support Service. 

A copy of the FAQ's is also available the bottom of the screen.