The design of pilot telecare projects and their integration into mainstream service delivery

We studied the introduction of a telecare and rehabilitation scheme in north-west Surrey. It was decided not to create a new team to provide the new services, but to involve established teams and individuals. The introduction of telecare therefore added to the roles and responsibilities of these teams. This staffing policy helped to establish awareness of the project within the local care system and to support its subsequent deployment. An education and training unit was established to demonstrate what the technology could do and to act as a focus for training health and social care professionals. The study suggested that for telecare to achieve its full potential, pilot projects must be designed to be evaluated, and more attention must be paid to the degree of integration with the care system as a whole.