Revised telecare framework promises £4.1m savings

The telecare national framework agreement has been updated and should offer potential extra savings of £4.1m according to the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA).

NHS PASA has completed its second annual review of the telecare National Framework Agreement (NFA) following the launch in June 2006.

The newly updated framework introduces 145 new product lines, 125 new services and 89 new equipment/service packages. The review also led to the removal of 447 discounted product/service lines and revised pricing for 674 product/service lines. The new products, services and prices became available on 1 April.

PASA says the framework will create potential savings of around £4.1m for the public sector in addition to ongoing savings of £9.2 million recorded already through the telecare NFA.

ProWellness has withdrawn as one of the participating suppliers in the framework and four suppliers have added new subcontractors.

The 2008 annual review has also seen the introduction of an intra-telecare NFA relationship between Tunstall and SeniorLink Eldercare.

Equipment covered by the NFA includes telecare equipment and community alarms and telehealth/medicine equipment such as remote monitoring equipment and medication reminder systems.

There are now 13 suppliers covered by the agreement.

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