Emergency response service
The response service is a highly-trained team that is part of Telecare and Lifeline. The team's role is to respond quickly to Lifeline and Telecare customers in emergencies, for instance:
- helping you to get up after a fall, using the latest lifting cushions to get you safely back to your feet
- giving you first aid for a wide range of issues
- doing welfare visits to see how you are, if you activate your Lifeline to tell us you are unwell
- the team can also help you assess the risks in your home, and will liaise with social care or your doctor (with your permission) to help you to get the support you need.
The response service is told you need help by the Lifeline community alarm, so you must have a Lifeline or Telecare package.
You must also have a key safe, so that the Responder can gain access to your home in an emergency . We can supply and fit a key safe for you, at a cost of £60, or you could purchase and fit your own. If buying your own key safe, please be careful to check on the different types available - the key safe that we provide is one of the only ones on the market that is approved by the Police and by insurance companies, and which has no effect on your house insurance.
If you live in Stoke-on-Trent and pay for the Lifeline service, or receive Telecare from the council, the response service is free.
The service is also free if your doctor or the ambulance service think you need it. If you suffer from regular falls, please contact your doctor to ask about the falls responder service.