When Sutton Housing Partnership won the Service Transformation Award at the TSA Technology Enabled Care Awards 2026, the council was recognised for introducing an advanced, innovative Technology Enabled Care (TEC) model across the borough. This marks a significant step forward in recognising how proactive and preventative technology, supported by Medequip Connect’s wraparound service, can help people live safely and independently at home.
The council, working in partnership with Medequip Connect and The Access Group, has successfully transformed care delivery across 22 independent living sites, reaching more than 500 residents.
From door knocks to digital
The council began by changing the previous model where Independent Living Officers (ILO) carried out weekly physical welfare checks across Sutton Housing Partnership’s sites; passive digital monitoring has been adopted through Access Assure, an AI-powered Technology Enabled Care platform which has transformed the service delivery model.
Today, sensors monitor individual residents’ daily activity patterns, including door openings, kettle use and movement around the home. Over a period of 14 days, the Access Assure platform learns individual routines, and alerts staff only when changes in these patterns are detected. For example, if a resident who always makes tea at 9am does not do so, the system flags a welfare check. No cameras are used, and residents retain full privacy and autonomy.
These insights are used by Medequip Connect’s Proactive and Preventative team to deploy the local responder service to prioritise proactive outbound wellbeing calls, without the need for intrusive door-knocking, which was a part of the traditional service carried out by the ILOs. This service is provided by a trained team at a specialist contact centre who also liaise with family and carers to provide an informed and holistic approach to social care.
Measurable outcomes
The results are already proving the power and relevance of the new model. Borough-wide, 45.8% of people supported by TEC have lived at home longer than would otherwise have been possible. 50.4% have been prevented from requiring residential placement, and 18.5% avoided homecare packages entirely.
In 2024, 660 ambulance callouts were avoided through Medequip Connect’s 45-minute responder service linked to NHS Urgent Community Response.
The CQC specifically commended Sutton's approach to Technology Enabled Care in its November 2025 report awarding the council 'Good' rating, noting the council "used technology to help people stay safe at home and avoid unnecessary admissions to care." The CQC also noted Sutton’s award-winning approach to TEC following on from the Local Government Chronicle 2025 Digital Impact Awards where judges described it as "a whole system approach that will clearly save lives" and added simply: "Everyone should have this."
Engaging and informing residents
Prior to installation, residents were engaged directly and asked challenging questions about privacy, data security and necessity. Staff explained NHS-standard data security, role-based access controls, and exactly what the sensors detect versus what they do not, demonstrating transparency which has built trust.
In addition, over 200 practitioners across social care, reablement and hospital discharge teams received training - not just on the technology, but on assessment skills to identify TEC opportunities and how to engage residents and families in the conversation.
Anna Saunders, Director of Commissioning at London Borough of Sutton, said: "We are thrilled to have won this award, which recognises that we are leading the way in using digital technology to improve the lives of people in Sutton. Our partnership approach has been key to this, and I want to congratulate The Access Group, Medequip Connect and all the staff at Sutton Council who have worked together to make it happen."