main content Carelink (Community Alarm Scheme)

Carelink, which is run by Bromley Council's Adults and Community Services Department, is a 24 hour lifeline alarm scheme that helps vulnerable people to remain safely in their own home by enabling them to summon help in an emergency. The calls are handled by Bromley calls handler, Invicta Telecare who hold an accreditation to Telecare Services Association. All calls are voice recorded.

Who is this service for?

The Carelink community alarm service is for vulnerable people at risk, who meet the eligibility criteria for adults.  Younger people with disabilities can also apply to have the service and should speak to their Care Manager or to an Occupational therapist. However customers can also obtain the service on a private basis.

The service is intended for people who:

• are capable of understanding how to use the alarm
• maybe virtually housebound
• are at risk of collapse or falling where delay in receiving assistance could be dangerous
• may have suffered an emergency in the last 12 months
• live alone or with a spouse/carer who is unable to leave the house because of the risk to the person cared for

Alarms can also be provided on a short-term basis (up to 4 weeks) following hospital discharge or when carers are away on holiday. The minimum chargeable period is four weeks which covers the services administration costs.

Individuals who do not meet the social services criteria for services but feel the alarm would be of benefit to them, may still purchase the Carelink  service as a private customer. Private customers must be prepared to be charged for the full weekly costs of the service. (Please refer to the section "Costs")

Details

Carelink staff are employees of Bromley Council. All staff carry the council's identification cards and use council's fleet cars which are also marked with Carelink's service logo.

The alarm scheme operates every day of the year. Customers are provided with a telephone alarm unit, which allows two way voice contact with the control centre operators. In an emergency, help can be summoned by either :

• pressing a button on the alarm unit; or
• pressing a remote trigger, which is worn or carried by the customer.

We recommend that you test the alarm equipment on a monthly basis by pressing the remote trigger (pendant).

A demonstration of how the equipment works can be requested via Carelink main telephone number: 020 8466 0046

Trained operators at Invicta's control centre  receive the alarm call  and immediately deal with the emergency. Carelink employs its own team of mobile response officers who can attend emergencies any time of the day or night.  The Carelink staff are based in Central Bromley at the services office.


Monitoring – a service where the control operators will talk to you via the alarm unit when the alarm is triggered to find out what is wrong.  They will alert the friend, relative or neighbour who holds a key to your property to request they visit you, if you need help in an emergency. It is preferable to have three nominated key holders.  If your nominated key holder cannot be reached or cannot attend, Carelink may send their mobile staff for which a call out charge is payable.  For details of charges please refer to the section on "costs". If it is required Carelink can hold a key for you in the event that your key holders cannot attend. The mobile officer will confirm this with you at the time the alarm unit is installed.

Full Mobile Response – for this service, which costs slightly  more each week, Carelink hold the keys to your property in their central Bromley office and when you activate the alarm in an emergency  they will send a Mobile Response officer to attend and assist you. You do not have to have any other nominated key holder when you have this service.  Some customers like to have "key safes" at their properties and the keysafe code number would be held by Carelink  so the officers  can gain access. For more information on  "key safes" contact Carelink's main office telephone number. 020 8466 0046.  Age concern also offer information on "Key safes".

Bromley Carelink promises to:

• Install your alarm equipment in a safe and unobtrusive way.
• monitor your alarm 24 hours a day every day of the year
• respond to alarm calls quickly and practicably at all times of the day or night
• respond immediately to requests for assistance by contacting one of their mobile response officers, your key holder, doctor, relative, or one of the emergency services
• repair any faults to your alarm within 24 hours of being notified of the fault
• ensure you understand how the equipment works and what will happen if you call for assistance
• carry out yearly visits to your property  to ensure your alarm is working properly
• keep all personal information held at the Carelink office and the control centre confidential
• keep all keys/key safe details  held at Carelink Bromley office in a coded secure system within a secure location to which only authorised personnel have access
• update your records as soon as you tell us of any changes.

The Multi Lingual Carelink brochure gives further information in the following languages: French, Somali, Turkish, Polish, Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Chinese (Cantonese) and Chinese (Mandarin)

Costs

All equipment is on a "hire" basis. Payment can be made by cash, cheque, internet and telephone or by standing order.

Lost or damaged replacement costs:

If the equipment is lost or damaged there will be costs charged for its replacement. Please contact the Carelink office if you require further information or discuss it with the officer when they are installing the equipment.

For private customers:

• the Monitoring Service costs £3.54 per week with a call out charge of £68.49
• the full Mobile Responsive Service costs £6.83 per week.

Unfortunately Carelink cannot offer a financial assessment to private customers which may help pay for the costs of the service. If you are concerned  about the costs of the service you may be able to be assessed for the service by a Care manager

For Adult and Community Services (Social Services) customers

Bromley Council's  care managers will assess your needs, and if you get an alarm you  may be asked  you to pay part of the cost, depending on your financial circumstances. 

Once you have been assessed by a care manager they will pass the information to Carelink and the service will arrange to visit you and install the equipment. You will be advised by Adult and Community services how much you will have to pay for the service

Housing Associations

Costs for Housing associations are different as there is no equipment outlay. If you are a housing association and wish to discuss Carelink service and costs please contact the carelink office and ask to speak to the group manager. (See "Contact" section below.)

Next Steps and Conditions

Installation is easy. All that is needed is a modern telephone socket and a 3-pin mains electric power socket within 2.75 metres (9 feet) of each other.

At times the service will purchase specialized equipment for customers with special needs. Please contact the Carelink office and ask to speak to the group manager. (See "Contact section below.)

To find out if you are eligible for Carelink via social services, contact Bromley Social Services to discuss an assessment of your needs.      (See "Contact " section below)

or

To obtain Carelink as a private customer, contact the Carelink office directly at the address below.

Contacts

For people who are older, or have learning disabilities or physical disabilities

If this is your first contact with Social Services OR you already receive services and your circumstances change OR there is an emergency, your first point of contact will be through the front-line contact service (Bromley Social Services Direct) on 020 8461 7777. Minicom: 020 8464 7350. Assistance is available on this number from 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday - Friday. 

Kent Association for the Blind
18 Blyth Road, Bromley, Kent, BR1 3RX
(9.00am – 5.00pm)
Telephone: 020 8464 8406 / 8432 
 

For people aged under 65 with mental health problems:

Please select this link to contact details for the Community Mental Health Teams.

If you are in Hospital and need help now or when you go home:
Contact the social services care managers based at the hospital either direct or via the ward staff: Offices are open 8.45am to 5.00pm.

Adults and Community Services

Princess Royal University Hospital,
Farnborough Common, Orpington
Kent,
BR6 8ND

Telephone: 01689 864593/4/5/6

Extended hours at the weekend on the Accident & Emergency ( A&E)
and Medical Assessment units (MAU)
10am-5pm Saturdays and Sundays,
and 5.30pm-9.30pm in the evenings of Monday-Friday

Or

Contact Carelink at:

Carelink, The North Lodge,  Civic Centre, Stockwell Close, Bromley, BR1 3UH.

Telephone: 020 8466 0046 

9 - 5pm Monday - Friday
There is an answer phone attached to this number and  for out of hours referrals you can also fax: 020 8313 4722

Please select this link for your local Social Services Area Office.