Decision details

To carry out the procurement from NHC framework for services in relation to our Lifeline Provision

Approval is given to outsource Housing Renewal Lifeline Service alarm receiving centre.

The Director of Community Development, in consultation with the Assistant Director (Resources) and Executive Member for Culture, Arts and Housing have agreed to enter into related contracts.

Outsourcing the call handling function to a specialist provider is recommended to ensure compliance with TSA accreditation standards, support digital transformation goals, and deliver robust disaster recovery and 24/7 monitoring capabilities. This approach is expected to yield annual cost savings, enhance resilience and operational efficiency, and provide access to specialist expertise and scalable infrastructure. Importantly, it will enable the service to concentrate on preventative support and retain core elements that directly benefit residents, by freeing up internal capacity and focusing resources on proactive housing renewal and wellbeing initiatives.

Alternative delivery models were assessed:
• The continuation of in-house ARC was deemed unsustainable due to the extensive work and investment required to achieve TSA accreditation, alongside limited scalability, staffing pressures, and the underlying fragility of the service.
• Integration with Customer Services was explored collaboratively but found technically unfeasible due to the platform’s lack of ARC-specific capabilities, including emergency response integration and telecare compatibility.