North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership

With analogue telephone lines being switched off nationally by the end of January 2027, North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership (NAHSCP) is making good progress in replacing its analogue Telecare and Community Alarm equipment in service users’ homes to digital.

The national switchover had originally been set to take place by the end of 2025, however this has now been delayed. Despite this extension to the timeline, around 85 per cent of our Community Alarm and Telecare users have now had their new digital equipment successfully installed, with the Partnership on track to complete the final stage of the replacement project during 2025.

For service users who have yet to have their new digital equipment installed, it is important to be cautious if you are planning on changing your telephone/internet provider. To prepare for analogue lines being switched off in 2027, most communication providers (such as Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, Sky etc) are already in the process of switching telephone lines from analogue to digital. This means that if a new phone or internet service is installed in your home - or if you change your package - it is likely that the provider will install a digital line rather than an analogue one, and your current alarm equipment will no longer work.

Additionally, even where you are not looking to change your line, you may still receive a letter from your telephone or internet provider advising you that your line is being changed to a digital one.

If you are thinking about changing your provider or telephone/internet package, or if your current provider contacts you to advise that they will need to install a digital line in your home, please inform them that you have analogue Community Alarm and/or Telecare equipment and contact NAHSCP on the number below so that they can advise on what to do next.

If a family member or friend speaks to you about changing your telephone package on your behalf, please ask them to speak to NAHSCP first before signing up to any changes.

If you are unsure whether your Telecare/Community Alarm equipment is analogue or digital, an easy way to tell is to check the colour of the box. If it is white with a bright green light, then this is a digital box. If the box is white without a bright green light, or it is a grey/charcoal colour then this is an analogue box. Alternatively, you can call the number below to check.

Please note that service users have also been contacted directly as this project has progressed to keep them up to date.

If you require any further information, if you need to let NAHSCP know that your phone/internet package might be changing, or if you have any concerns that your Community Alarm/Telecare equipment is not working, please call 01294 310222 and ask to speak to the Community Alarm Care at Home Manager.

 

November 15 2024