Medequip, the leading provider of community equipment services, is delighted to announce that they have been recommissioned to continue delivering the Wirral Independence Service. The service aims at enhancing the independence and wellbeing of Wirral residents and will commence on 1 July 2024.
Commissioned by Wirral Council and NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board, the service encompasses a range of vital provisions, including community equipment, care technology with 24/7 monitoring and emergency response, and a falls prevention programme led by the service’s dedicated Falls Prevention Team.
Medequip looks forward to continuing to work closely with health and social care prescribers and supplying appropriate community equipment, care technology and falls prevention support following an assessment. This collaborative approach emphasises Medequip's commitment to enhancing the health and social care outcomes of Wirral residents by enabling independent living, preventing hospital admissions, facilitating safe discharges, and alleviating pressure on care services.
"To be re-awarded the Wirral Independence Service contract is a testament to Medequip's dedication to providing high-quality services, which was emphasised by our Business Development Team in our bid. Medequip has a strong relationship with its commissioning partners and has supported Wirral residents since July 2015," said Sara Sneath, General Manager at Medequip. "We are proud to continue supporting Wirral residents and help keep them independent."
Explaining the integration of care technology in the new service and the advancements in Technology Enabled Care (TEC) that will greatly benefit the new Wirral Independence Service, Rupert Lawrence, Head of Medequip Connect, stated:
“We’re delighted that Medequip can embark on this exciting contract with Wirral Council and NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board as we develop and embed proactive and preventative TEC utilising the latest digital technologies and activities for daily living monitoring. Our innovative TEC service offer will provide the residents of Wirral with an industry-leading approach to supporting health, independence, and wellbeing using assistive technologies. Our holistic TEC service offers monitoring, installation and maintenance, and response services, supporting older and vulnerable people 24/7. By adopting a groundbreaking proactive and preventative approach, we hope this new contract will be used as a benchmark for other services in the UK.”
The recommissioning decision ensures the Wirral Health and Care System's responsiveness to local needs, fulfilling statutory duties while embracing digital care and early intervention and prevention services.
Medequip’s long-term investment in the Wirral, with the contract’s initial term of 5 years and having the option to be extended to 10 years, includes a plan to relocate the service centre to a larger facility and is currently looking at suitable properties to fulfil the future needs of the service.