Blogs & Insights
Latest news and views on quality assurance and innovation in TEC
The difference that TEC services make to people’s lives never ceases to amaze me. Hearing about call operators and responder teams providing reassurance, comfort and companionship to people and their families reminds me just how invaluable this sector is. These TEC heroes, and the data and digital systems that connect them, give individuals choice and control over their lives. They have renewed confidence to go out and about, they are empowered to do the things that matter to them, with the people they love, in the communities they call home. Supporting Statutory Services But TEC doesn’t just provide independence or join up services around people’s needs. It is an efficient way of supporting health and social care by boosting the efforts of the people working in the sector and connecting individuals and their families with local community services. At a time of immense pressure on the NHS and councils - with record demand post-Covid - TEC services not only make a huge difference to people’s lives, but they have never been more important in supporting service delivery. Enormous Opportunities Around Tech It strikes me that they have never been more innovative either. There is so much ingenuity and opportunity when it comes to internet of things (IoT) TEC devices, sensors, systems and apps that talk to each other over the web. The value of this TEC connectivity was recognised in the government’s recent social care reform and integration white papers, both of which included weighty sections on using tech to support people’s lives and join up their care. But as we begin to translate these policies into reality, the quality, safety and effectiveness of new and existing TEC services and approaches is paramount. That’s why schemes such as the Quality Standards Framework, which helps TEC organisations to achieve certification through a rigorous and ongoing assessment process are vital. Improving Accountability of Services QSF enables providers (and suppliers) to understand how they are performing and what they can do to improve. It drives accountability and gives local authorities confidence that they are commissioning the right services. But crucially, it gives reassurance to people, their relatives and friends. They know that the life-critical services they rely on have reached certain standards and won’t let them down. Innovation is Key to Improving Lives With an unprecedented number of new policy directions around health and social care - including the Health and Care Act which received Royal Assent in April – one of the common connections that binds them all is promoting innovation to improve people’s lives. In last year’s adult social care reform white paper, at least £150 million of funding was allocated to drive greater adoption of technology and achieve wider digitisation. This also extends to housing, with £300 million earmarked to integrate housing into local health and care strategies. Digital is likely to play a key role in making this happen too. The last few years have been difficult ones, but despite this, I am energised about the future. It is our duty, in the care sector, to look for opportunities that support people to achieve their aspirations and enjoy happy lives. I believe that ensuring the quality of TEC services will help to realise this vision. Find out more about the benefits of being QSF-certified: read our TEC Responder Case Studies here
Yorbl Technologies Limited, creators of the innovative Yorbl range of Digital Telecare solutions are proud to announce that they have successfully completed the TSA’s Trailblazer Programme and have been awarded the prestigious Quality Standards Framework certification, which elevates standards, innovation and continuous improvement in technology enabled care provision.
As we switch from analogue to digital, the language and jargon can become a lot more confusing around the different platforms and technologies available, data and cyber security and interoperability. Commissioners may be not be fully aware of the complexity of what they are buying into but in our experience we’ve found the TEC Quality badge of assurance, and our association with TSA has shown there’s a system in place that is to a high standard and trustworthy, with the service user at the heart of what we do. As a SIM supplier, Mobius are always looking to push the standards of the industry up, and work to certifications that are specific to Telecoms and IT that demonstrate security and quality, not only in the TEC sector but in wider industries. Cyber Essentials Plus is a well-known and important certifier for SIM suppliers, driven by the National Cyber Security Centre (and GCHQ). In addition to the IoT industry and telecoms standards, the Quality Standards Framework is much broader, telecare specific accreditation that spans quality, safety, continuous improvement and innovation. As a supplier of products, being part of a quality framework becomes even more vital because it brings you firmly into that journey of continuous improvement in terms of our product development and linking us in strongly with tech developments and innovations, so we stay relevant. "Having the QSF certifications has become vital to winning contracts. It shows straight away that the companies are performing to a standard without having to delve into the details." Having that certification has meant often we’ve passed the initial entry requirement and we’re seeing more and more that certain commissioners, before developing a relationship, are asking to see a mark of quality. Certain frameworks such as ESPO asked directly if we were certified by TEC Quality. "By having a tangible certification and its rigorous process, we believe this shows we care about the product we supply, and our need for quality and safety to be reflected from production through to the end user. " A deep dive into our business What makes the QSF different from other standards such as ISO and BSI is that it forces you to think about the bigger picture and delve deeper into your business processes, giving you a deep understanding of how they impact the overall company’s operations and how these align with your values. That said, there’s no conflict between the different standards, as the QSF has mapped across ISOs and BSI standards into the framework so there’s an element of pass-porting which is really helpful and joined-up. TEC Quality also has more of an ethical view on how you run your business and the impact it can have on the lives of the people using your products ultimately, whether that’s through ethical data capture or software updates. System maintenance in unavoidable, but we always need to consider the service user and design systems to be able to failover, and design processes that consider end user impact in planning, We have also invested hugely in our multipath data system so that the impact of those updates are minimised on our TEC customers. Our pilot with TSA When we heard that TSA was developing a Supplier module we jumped at the chance to be involved in the feedback and testing stage before it launch. We were first to go through the module and saw this as a great opportunity to be ahead of the game and stand out against other suppliers. I guess we wanted to show we were serious about quality to the wider industry. My advice to other suppliers? If you’re a start-up, it’s essential to be plugged into the quality agenda from the start as you grow your business. And for larger, more established companies, the QSF can mean a good shake-down of some the policies you may have already in place with more of an emphasis on refining them and linking them in with your values and ultimately to better outcomes for the service user.
Taking the easy route has never been my remit, not to create difficulties for myself per say, but for the sake of having a purpose and seeing clear results. This has sometimes meant operating alone and pushing forwards and upwards with an agenda or goal until it becomes what I want it to be. Committing to being part of a quality framework in a petite but growing sector traditionally took conviction. From Supply sector, I’d sometimes hear resistance about whether it’s necessary or that it’s too difficult, or does it apply to me? Who really cares? If I had to give one piece of advice it’s to keep yourself informed about the wider technology enabled care sector and its developments. By taking on that knowledge, you’ll know that 26% of the TEC market is now private pay and self-funders. The consumer market is fast expanding with no prospect of slowing down. Now that you’re seeing your TEC products and services through the lens of a consumer market, is it wise to release them to market without a mark of quality, safety and assurance? How robust is your business and its processes? Are you happy with the contracts you hold with 3rd party suppliers – are you in control or them? What have you done lately to mitigate Risk across your organisation and to users of your products? Have your business continuity plans been stress-tested? Are your supply chains strong and reliable? Remember COVID-19? You say you’re innovative but how ahead of the game are you against your competitors? What R&D are you thinking about to future-proof your TEC products and services in light of the personalisation and proactive agenda in health and social care? Will they still be the products of choice in 2 or 3 years’ time? Who’s doing it better than you? The QSF was created not only to elevate standards and lead the way in continuous improvement and innovation in TEC, but to offer you a supportive business environment, a helping hand, so you can thrive, and we as a sector can be proud of the services we provide keeping people safe and well. We’ve had a rush of suppliers and startups recently join the framework now seeing the urgency and relevance of embedding quality into their business from the get-go. No need to feel alone because now you’ve got company.
Dudley Telecare Service became one of the first organisations to certify against the Quality Standards Framework (QSF) back in the day, and today Quality is an integral and embedded way of working for the organisation and the team. So what is the key to embarking on the Quality journey? For us, one of the most important messages about preparing for the audit is not to simply prepare for the audit. Running a quality service is an ongoing process , it doesn’t happen on one day. At Dudley Telecare we review our policies and procedures every 12 months and monitor our services on an ongoing basis because we want to improve and innovate year on year. The QSF itself was an opportunity to sell our service – something we'd never done before. Auditors listened carefully to what we had to say about our service and engaged with staff. We were able to talk about our outreach work, telecare surgeries and partnerships. We demonstrated a golden thread of shared understanding through the entire team from top-down, from the chief officer to our apprentice. We were able to present evidence of a quality service and, quite rightly, be challenged on it. And we shared the results of a recent internal audit and demonstrated how we’d addressed the issues it raised. Shouting about the benefits of TEC But if the QSF is an opportunity to shine, it is also an opportunity to share. Among TSA members there is a lot of good practice and good news which needs to be promoted. We each have a wealth of information and all of us has something to offer others. This peer-to-peer learning is vital for individual organisations, TSA and the industry as a whole. If we as a sector want people to know what technology enabled care is all about, we need to demonstrate good practice and high standards. That means learning from our mistakes by being open and honest and it means approaching the audit process with integrity, not in the interests of getting through the audit itself, but in the interests of running quality services and selling the sector as a whole. For the technology enabled care sector, the QSF is a framework to build on so that we can develop and grow. It encourages shared learning, continuous improvement and an ethical approach, it allows us to get our stories out there and, thankfully, it shouldn’t give any of us sleepless nights. Access & Telecare at Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council.
TEC Quality taking applications for new fast-track quality scheme for suppliers to drive quality assurance in technology enabled care and spearhead development of the sector.
We are delighted to welcome into the TSA Team TEC Quality's new Quality Manager Helen Rudkin who will be driving the support of the expanding standards programme.
Jane Turner-Bragg previously worked as Head of Service – Older People for Bromford Housing Group. Now she is one of TSA’s Quality Standards Framework (QSF) auditors. Here she gives the auditor's view and you may be pleasantly surprised...
As Mobius is a less traditional supply member (in the usual telecare sense), it seemed right, if TSA’s Quality Standards Framework (QSF) is aiming to broaden the scope of quality in the TEC industry, that Mobius would be a prime candidate to test it to its fullest. Given the nature of the service we offer, it makes sense that every part of the system and service user experience is taken into account. At the same time, we have been asked why we put our company through that process when we already have ISO 9001:2015? ISO 9001:2015 is the international standard that specifies requirements for a quality management system (QMS). Organisations use this standard to demonstrate their ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements. While both QSF and ISO encourage organisations to think about quality, they come at it from quite different angles. The table below is a simplification, but it highlights that ISO expects a business-to-business relationship and QSF has a much stronger emphasis on the end user experience. QSF modules like ‘The Workforce’ and ‘Ethics’ also challenged our company in ways we hadn’t previously experienced.
This prestigious accreditation embeds impartiality in to the heart of the Quality Standards Framework and marks the culmination of many months hard work by the TEC Quality team. The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) is the sole national accreditation body for the United Kingdom. UKAS is recognised by government, to assess against internationally agreed standards, organisations that provide certification, testing, inspection and calibration services. UKAS is appointed as the national accreditation body by Accreditation Regulations 2009 (SI No 3155/2009) and the EU Regulation (EC) 765/2008. UKAS operates under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government, through the Secretary of State for Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. Accreditation by UKAS demonstrates the competence, impartiality and performance capability of these evaluators. The UKAS accreditation will form the backbone of QSF going forward. Offering both a unique approach to quality assurance in the TEC sector that is driven by objectivity and underpinned by mandatory validation on an annual basis. Commenting on the award David Pearson CBE, Chair of TEC Quality says: “The UKAS accreditation evidences beyond doubt that TEC Quality is impartial and provides assurance about quality and safety in the use of technology in providing the care and support that people need. “This news is fantastic for our excellent team and for the sector as a whole. Commissioners, service providers and suppliers alike can benefit hugely from involvement in QSF as it enhances quality through certification that provides an independent evaluation of organisations who deliver technology enabled care to help meet people’s needs.” Louise Sanders, UKAS Development Project Manager adds: “UKAS and TEC Quality have worked together to develop accreditation for the certification of telecare and telehealth services. UKAS would like to congratulate TEC Quality on their grant of accreditation as a certification body to ISO/IEC 17065, and to acknowledge the considerable amount of work that TEC Quality have completed and how they are driving standards in the sector.” The award from UKAS will allow TEC Quality to build stronger partnerships with regulators, sector stakeholders and policy makers. As QSF audits are witnessed and reviewed as part of the accreditation and renewal process to ensure impartiality and objectivity then the scheme can be endorsed with greater confidence. This is already evidenced by QSF endorsement by the National Fire Chiefs Council, Association of Ambulance Chief Executives and more recently the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Scotland’s Care Inspectorate. Alyson Scurfield, TSA Chief Executive, comments: “It’s been of great benefit to have an outside organisation looking at our operation through the microscope. This has resulted in us strengthening our corporate governance, impartiality and independence. “We’ve been really pleased about the positive nature of the audit. We knew we had a strong scheme and a strong delivery organisation in TEQ Quality, and this award has reinforced that belief. It’s made all the hard work, the restructure and significant investment worthwhile.” Following the decision to grant accreditation, TEC Quality will reinforce its improvement agenda. All QSF certified organisations will benefit from our association with UKAS and the use of the national accreditation symbol as a mark of quality. Pictured Left to right above – Ian Clayton, Finance Director, Alyson Scurfield, Chief Executive, Louise Sanders, UKAS Development Project Manager, Sheena Wyllie, UKAS Technical Expert, Paul Finch, TEC Quality Scheme Manager, Wendy Hodgson, TEC Quality Auditor.
