‘Heartfelt thanks’ to High Peak service users of Carelink
High Peak Borough Council has thanked all those involved with the Carelink programme now the service has formally ended.
Carelink services have now ended after High Peak Borough Council made the ‘difficult decision’ to close the service for safeguarding reasons.
Since the decision was made in June, the Council says it has remained in regular contact with customers to keep them updated, provide information about companies that offer similar falls and emergency response monitoring in the High Peak, and offer support to people who want to move to an alternative provider.
Executive councillor for housing, Fiona Sloman, said: “As we formally close the Carelink service, I’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to all our customers for their understanding and co-operation and to our staff for the care they have provided and their dedicated service.”
Carelink is an alarm system which enables elderly, vulnerable and disabled people to live independently by allowing them to call a contact centre and seek help from a trained member of staff 24-hours from anywhere in their home or garden.
The closure was announced because the council says it had struggled for several years to ‘recruit and retain the level of staff required to safely deliver the service’ and despite their best efforts, it could no longer provide the service ‘safely in its current form’.
Councillor Sloman said: “The decision to end the service was a very difficult one for the council and our priority throughout has been our customers – many of whom have now secured alternative provision to meet their needs.
“We remain available to support vulnerable people across the High Peak so please do get in touch with the team if we can offer further assistance.
“There’s also information about alternative service providers on our website for people to access at any time.”
For those who have not switched providers before the closure HPBC is working with Medequip Connect and Derbyshire Light Medical but people are able to source a different company to meet their needs.
More information on both of the new companies available to support residents is available on the council’s website via www.highpeak.gov.uk/Carelink-Service