Contact: Claire Foreman Ext: 7127

Summary

The Executive Member notes the current progress of the Insight Active Support Environments Project.

The Executive Member agrees to Hampshire County Council participating in the Interreg IIIc bid.

1 Reason(s)

1.1 The Executive Member requested reports on the development of the project and awareness of the partners involved will ensure connections are made across policy areas.

1.2 A member representative will be required for the steering committee of the IIIc Regional Framework Operation if the bid is successful.

2 Other options considered and rejected

3.1 Not Applicable

3 Conflicts of Interest declared by the decision-maker or a Member or Officer consulted

4.1 Not Applicable

4 Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee

5.1 Not Applicable

5 Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent

6.1 Not Applicable

Approved by: Date of decision:

Councillor Felicity Hindson

Contact: Claire Foreman Ext: 7127

Introduction

This is an innovative project using information technology to enable people to live independently in their own homes. The technology consists of sensors that monitor various activities which feed that information to a small computer. Huntleigh Technology are responsible for developing the system. Hampshire in partnership with district councils are piloting `Insight' at several sites in the county.

1.0 Project Progress to October 2003

1.1 Steering Group

1.1.1 A steering group has been convened to oversee the development, monitoring and implementation of the `Insight' system during its pilot phase in the county. The first meeting will be on 7 November 2003 and includes external and departmental representation. Its objectives are:

· Assess the suitability of `Insight' for community care packages.

· Share information on the pilot across the county.

· Provide an evaluative framework to enable the monitoring and review of the system - to include comparisons with alternative supportive technology systems, forms of accommodation and costs.

· Identify resources to support pilot work recognising many different funding streams.

· Organise a formal evaluation of the Huntleigh and Tunstall supportive technology systems and report back to the Executive Member for Social Care.

1.2 Demonstration flat for `Insight Active Care Environments'

1.2.1 Chase Hospital, Bordon is undergoing a major refurbishment which will provide 24 intermediate care beds. A basic system in the Aids for Daily Living Flat will be installed within the next few weeks. After a major refurbishment in January/February 2004 the full system will be installed.

1.2.2 The flat will be used by Hampshire to show the system to professionals and potential clients. Huntleigh will use the flat as a test site. They will be working with Chase Community Hospital and Lancaster University on a system for use on hospital intermediate care wards. Chase will become the second research site alongside one in the north.

1.2.3 The hospital will use the system as an aid for their intermediate care patients. This will provide an opportunity for Insight to be evaluated in another setting.

1.3 Pilot Sites

1.3.1 Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council in conjunction with Southern Focus Trust, the local Care & Repair Agency, are leading one pilot which will be the first to install the system. The first four recipients of `Insight' are all owner occupiers. A further two will be chosen from the social housing sector. The installation of the systems have been delayed by negotiations over the contracts for the supply and service of the equipment.

1.3.2 In East Hampshire the aim is to test its use with older people living in an isolated rural village which lacks community infrastructure. There has been strong commitment from partners to progress this pilot. A steering group consisting of Hampshire Social Services, East Hants DC, Drum Housing Group and Huntleigh meet every two months to monitor progress. However, this pilot has not yet received match funding from the local authority.

1.3.2.1 An option is that Hampshire goes ahead and pays for 2/3 installations rather than delay any further. Alternatively, an approach may have to be made to an alternative partner such as the local PCT (after consultation with the local steering group).

1.3.3 One potential partner is Testway Housing Association who are interested in pursuing a joint pilot involving Tunstall. A demonstration of the Tunstall product will be held in November followed by discussions on piloting the two systems in a sheltered housing scheme.

1.3.4 We had hoped to mount a joint pilot with New Forest DC. New Forest are interested in installing a rival system, developed by Tunstall, into a sheltered housing scheme. Hampshire had proposed to pay for the Huntleigh systems in a similar number of flats. Unfortunately New Forest have advised us that there is no money in this financial year to pay for the systems. However, they will be using the Tunstall systems in the next financial year.

1.4 Interreg IIIC Application

1.4.1 Hampshire County Council was invited to join a IIIC Regional Framework Operation (RFO) called ALIVE & Cross Border Exchange following a meeting with a number of European regions at an ALIVE conference in Helsinki. Members of the RFO were keen for Hampshire to become involved as the pilot project `Insight Active Support Environments' matched the work being undertaken by other partners involved in one of the components of the RFO. The operation will start in January 2004 and will run for four years finishing in December 2007.

1.4.1.1 The overall objective of the programme is to exchange and develop common regional strategies, policies and instruments to tackle the regional consequence of ageing in the fields of labour market, empowerment, public health and supportive environment. Through the programme regions will co-operate and develop projects. Hampshire hopes to build on the initial project and expand the number of pilot sites, make comparisons with other developments in assistive technology, commission an academic evaluation and learn from similar projects in other regions. Part of the European project will involve collecting data from the partners, comparing data and analysing. Pilots of the projects can be tested in one or more partner regions to see how they are working in practice. Results of the projects can be disseminated through the website, brochures, meetings and conferences.

1.4.1 There are four components to the operation:

· Balancing out the labour market in the field of care, housing and welfare

· Active ageing and empowerment

· High-quality physical and mental health throughout the life course

· Accessible and high quality supportive environment

Hampshire is particularly interested in the last component.

1.4.3 The partner regions are Nord Brabant (Holland), Jamtlands (Sweden), Vasterbottens (Sweden), Etela-Suomi (Finland), Kilkis (Greece), Kralovehradecky (Czech Republic), Wielkopolska (Poland), Arad (Romania) and Hampshire (South East). Nord Brabant is the lead partner and is responsible for the management and co-ordination of the programme.

1.4.4 To become a member of the RFO Hampshire has agreed to represent the South East region. Support has been received from GOSE, SEEDA and the Regional Assembly. As a condition of their support Hampshire will set up working groups, expert meetings, newsletters and a website whereby information relating to the whole RFO can be disseminated and other local authorities can attend and learn from the work being undertaken by the RFO.

1.4.4.1 There will be three management bodies: Steering Committee, Project Leading Board and a Secretariat. The Steering Committee is represented by 1 regional politician per partner region. Members of the Project Leading Board will be nominated by the Steering Committee and will implement its decisions. Project Leaders will be responsible for the day to day operation within the region. The Secretariat will assist both bodies.

1.4.5 Hampshire's bid is for EU funding of 338,506 euros, matching the existing budget for the project.

1.4.6 Before proceeding with the bid Hampshire is seeking clarification on the rules for funding and whether the amount it has pledged is ringfenced.

2.0 CONCLUSION

2.1 The initial negotiations produced a lot of interest with partner organisations. However, implementation has slowed as match funding from district councils has been difficult to secure against competing priorities. It is hoped that a revised contract from Huntleigh will be available soon and will enable the Basingstoke pilot to be operational before the end of 2003. Once this is underway and the demonstration flat is accessible, it is likely that commitment from other interested partners will be forthcoming.

3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS

3.1 The Executive Member notes the current progress of the Insight Active Support Environments Project and that an evaluation report will follow in due course.

3.2 The Executive Member agrees to Hampshire County Council participating in the Interreg IIIc bid subject to an acceptable conclusion of discussions on Hampshire's funding (see 1.4.6).

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