How to get emergency care at home
If you have a crisis at home, the Rapid Response service is a team of emergency response staff that provide personal care either in an emergency or urgent care crisis. The service is available 365 days of the year.
Page contents:
- How the emergency Rapid Response service can support you
- Emergency response to Telecare
- Prevention of admission to hospital
- How to contact the emergency Rapid Response service
- Further support services
How the emergency Rapid Response service can support you
If you have a crisis at home, the rapid response service is a team of emergency response staff that provide personal care either in an emergency or urgent care crisis. The service is available 365 days of the year.
Emergency response to Telecare
If you subscribe to the South Gloucestershire pendant alarm system (Telecare) and you press your pendant, an alarm is triggered in a call centre. A call centre will telephone your previously agreed emergency contacts advising them that you have pressed your alarm pendant. If necessary, the call centre will also contact emergency services such as the police or ambulance. If your emergency contacts are not available or you do not have any emergency contacts, the council’s emergency rapid response service may be able to respond to your call subject to responder availability and access to your home.
Read more general information about technology-enabled care in our article on Assistive Technology.
If you have fallen, the call centre will contact the emergency services if required. If the emergency services are not required but you need assistance to get back up, a call centre will contact the South Gloucestershire Falls service. The Falls service will respond with specialised equipment if they have availability. Currently the Falls service does not operate overnight.
Prevention of admission to hospital
If you have an emergency care situation, another service may contact the emergency rapid response service on your behalf. The emergency rapid response service responds to referrals from all professionals, including GPs, ambulances and social care professionals where the immediate provision of personal care could prevent an admission to hospital. A referral for a care assessment may be made for you, helping to identify any care services Home care or voluntary agencies that could help you to stay safe and independent in your home Support services and help to stay at home.
How to contact the rapid response service
The emergency rapid response service can be contacted on 01454 615047 between 8am and 10:15pm
Outside these times, if you are experiencing a social care emergency that cannot wait until the next working day you should contact the Emergency Duty Team on 01454 615165.
The rapid response service is chargeable after the first 72 hours.
Further support services
Following support from the rapid response service, you may be assessed as needing further support. The council’s Social Work and Occupational Therapy teams will work with you to find suitable support services. Some of these services will be chargeable. Part of your assessment will include a financial assessment.