A total of 13 care agencies attended the recent Domiciliary Care Provider Forum held at the Medequip site in Binley, Coventry on 15 July and conducted in partnership with Warwickshire County Council.
The purpose of the sessions was to provide domiciliary care providers with a greater understanding of the Integrated Community Equipment (ICE) and Technology Enabled Care (TEC) services, while showcasing the breadth of work undertaken to support individuals within the community.
The event included interactive engagement sessions hosted by Medequip staff to provide an insight into the service as well as ensuring providers were aware of the support on offer, knew how to access information, and had established points of contact for future enquiries.
Showcasing the service
The day began with a ‘meet and greet’ session, where Commissioner Dee Sage delivered an overview of the contract and service. This section of the programme also gave providers opportunities for networking, building relationships and sharing experiences.
A guided tour of the Medequip facility at Binley gave a clear insight into the equipment journey, including dispatch, delivery, collection, refurbishment, and cleaning processes.
A separate session showcased a range of Technology Enabled Care (TEC) equipment, demonstrating how developing technologies can support service delivery and improved outcomes for individuals.
An interactive Community Equipment session, led by Medequip’s Occupational Therapists, gave providers an overview of the various aids and equipment available. Through case study exercises, participants explored the purpose of different equipment types and developed their understanding of selecting the most appropriate equipment to meet individual needs.
Opportunities for questions and answers were available throughout all sessions, encouraging discussion, shared learning, and provider engagement.
Positive feedback
Overall, the session was viewed by providers as a useful refresher on available equipment and emerging technologies that could benefit service users.
A valuable feedback exercise carried out by Warwickshire Country Council’s Domiciliary Care Commissioning Team following the event showed that the OT physiotherapy activity was particularly well received, with participants valuing the opportunity to engage with staff and providers.
Seeing the warehouse processes firsthand was also deemed beneficial, and participants highlighted several valuable learning outcomes from the session, particularly around the range of assistive technology and equipment available to support service users. Many reported gaining a better understanding of equipment options, telecare solutions, electronic devices, and referral and ordering processes.
Into the future
Medequip's wider ambition is to develop the Binley site into a community hub, creating an accessible environment where providers, professionals, and members of the public can visit to learn more about equipment and assistive technology.
This includes access to Medequip Connect’s TEC Academy, enabling individuals to increase their knowledge and confidence in the use of equipment and technology to support independence and wellbeing.