UK telehealth software firm Tunstall Healthcare partnered construction firm Jeakins Weir to integrate smart technology into a housing development that will support the independence of adults with learning disabilities.

Working with Northampton Partnership Homes (NPH) and Jeakins Weir, Tunstall’s smart technology was integrated at the planning stage of the development and will help staff and carers provide more person-centred support, as well as giving care managers greater insight into how best to allocate resources to meet the needs of the people living there.

Tunstall’s Communicall Vi scalable communication system has been installed at Oak Tree Rise, a development comprising eight semi-detached bungalows and forming part of a supported housing scheme developed by West Northamptonshire Council in England to meet a demand for smart homes that support young adults with complex needs.

Designed for group living environments, Communicall Vi provides an integrated platform for the delivery and management of round-the-clock alarm communications, telecare, door entry and access control. Its core system is linked to speech modules that can be configured via a web browser or system control panel, providing carers and staff members at the accommodation with information to deliver effective care.

The system supports the use of telecare sensors and wearable technology, such as fall detectors, which will automatically raise an alert if help is required, enabling care to be given where and when it is needed, but supporting independence when it isn’t.

“Technology enabled care [TEC] maximises independence and safety, making it a crucial consideration at the architectural planning stage,” said Gavin Bashar, managing director of Tunstall Healthcare. “Working together with commissioners, providers and specifiers to ensure that the latest TEC is integrated into projects means we can create new models of care, which are more personalised and focused on enabling independence.”

He said Tunstall Healthcare was “delighted to be a part of a fantastic smart scheme” that will have a positive impact on the lives of people who live at Oak Tree Rise.

“This is a great example of how we can improve lives by collaboratively considering the potential of technology at the outset of planning new developments,” he said.

Helen Town, NPH assistant director, added: “Installing this technology at Oak Tree Rise ensures that person-centred support can be provided to help residents work towards a more independent future.”

And James Banaszak, contracts manager at Jeakins Weir, said: “At Oak Tree Rise we’ve seen the positive outcomes that can be achieved through a holistic approach to technology enabled care, working collaboratively to integrate it into the architecture of the build, and the way support will be offered. We’ve created a flexible platform that can change as tenants’ needs change, creating homes that will meet their needs and enable them to live life to the full for many years to come.”

Tunstall has been involved with technology for the health, housing and social care sectors for more than 60 years. With an estimated five million users in 22 countries, it works across Europe, the Middle East and Australasia.