Shared Alarm Receiving Centre Platform
We're at a crucial point for telecare. There are great opportunities and tough challenges happening all together. The transition to digital has provided an opportunity for us to work together with telecare service providers to enhance telecare services for citizens. In November 2021, the Digital Citizen Board approved the National Telecare Business Plan, signifying a major milestone in our commitment to improving telecare services ahead of the analogue to digital switchover.
One of the most pivotal recommendations within this comprehensive plan was the national procurement of a cutting-edge Shared ARC Platform. This platform is intended to be used within existing ARCs to provide a wide range of shared benefits and potential efficiencies. Following extensive sector engagement and an official endorsement from the Scottish Government in February 2022, we successfully secured the necessary funding. This paved the way for the official launch of the Shared ARC Programme in March 2022.
The Shared Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) Platform marks a revolutionary advancement in the telecare sector, championing a unified approach to adopting an innovative solution for health and social care in Scotland. This project has epitomised dedication and remarkable collaboration across national and local government from procurement to implementation. Co-designed with Scottish Telecare Service Providers to address the sector's critical needs, this ground-breaking solution provides a streamlined pathway to digital telecare, ensuring a seamless transition while enhancing service quality.
As a pioneering initiative in the UK, it offers a cutting-edge, multi-tenant, and cloud-based solution tailored to empower Telecare Service Providers. It delivers the benefits of a shared infrastructure while maintaining full autonomy and unlocking a multitude of service delivery possibilities. With a strong focus on security and scalability, the platform ensures robust collaboration and efficient information exchange among Telecare Service Providers across Scotland, fostering an environment of continuous improvement and excellence in service delivery.
The Shared ARC serves as a dynamic platform for innovation and service excellence. By empowering service providers and stakeholders to collaborate and drive transformative solutions, the Shared ARC platform revolutionises telecare delivery and support for service users across Scotland, setting new standards for service improvement.
The Shared ARC provides a fully digital platform for personalised digital care solutions, tailored to individual needs and environments. It allows citizens to integrate their own technology with care provider systems, offering a future-proof solution for early 21st-century social care.
For Scotland's 32 Local Authorities and housing associations, the platform reduces procurement challenges and facilitates the transition from legacy analogue services to digital ahead of the 2025 analogue telephony switch-off. It also enables remote call handling, shared response in emergencies, and enhances business continuity.
The platform, secured through the Digital Telecare Assessed Solution Scheme, reduces the technical burden on telecare providers, offering a scalable, cyber-resilient solution. Developed as a one-size-fits-all model, it supports improved working practices across social care and health, enhancing the citizen experience.
With a coordination and management function built in, the Shared ARC ensures partners work harmoniously to leverage digital opportunities. Continued collaboration with national and local governments and suppliers ensures the platform evolves with service users’ needs.
The new platform is a cloud-based, interoperable system, providing the foundation for a fully digital, future-proofed telecare service across Scotland. It significantly aids Telecare Service Providers in their transition from analogue to digital, ahead of the 2025 switch-off. This platform supports the integration of digital health and care services, marking a milestone in the sector.
While offering the benefits of a shared system, it allows organisations to maintain autonomy, tailoring the platform to suit their specific needs and environments. This flexibility ensures that providers can customise their digital care solutions while benefiting from the efficiency, scalability, and security of a unified platform.
The Shared ARC Programme team brought together individuals from local and national government, collaborating with Scotland Excel, early adopters, and external experts from the Scottish Government, NHS NSS, and technical consultants. The inclusive approach of the Digital Office and Scotland Excel, particularly in navigating legal and procurement complexities, has been key to its success.
From the outset, we worked with early adopters and government stakeholders to develop the technical specification for the Shared ARC Platform, ensuring compliance with cybersecurity and technical standards. Over 65 individuals contributed to the specification's development and approval. We continue to collaborate with the successful supplier through regular working group meetings to support onboarding and implementation.
Once fully embedded, the platform will foster innovation through the Telecare Information Framework, develop use cases, and pave the way for future advancements.