Centra Pulse in Kings Hill wins five-year telecare contract with Kent County Council

A telecare business has landed a five-year contract worth £5.5 million with Kent County Council to help 7,500 vulnerable people in area.

Centra Pulse, based in Kings Hill, will install up to 70 protective devices a week – like personal alarms and fall detectors – to help the elderly live independently for longer.

The firm, which is part of not-for-profit organisation Circle Housing, is the largest independent provider of telecare services and employs 150 people in Kent.

Centra Pulse installs protective devices which allow vulnerable people to live at home independently
Centra Pulse installs protective devices which allow vulnerable people to live at home independently

It already supports 125,000 older and vulnerable people across the country, using technology that instantly connects to trained telecare professionals.

The new contract, worth £1.1 million a year, saves KCC 16.3% compared to their previous arrangements. It began at the start of the month.

Anne Tidmarsh, director of older people and physical disability at Kent County Council, said: “Over the last eighteen months Centra Pulse has provided a 24 hour monitoring service and they are now also responsible for installing and maintaining the telecare equipment too.

“If it wasn’t for Centra Pulse I would not be alive, let alone feel safe..." - Becky Bridgeman

“This will support older and vulnerable residents to be safe and supported with their choices to live independently.”

Earlier this year, epilepsy sufferer Becky Bridgeman, 30, suffered a seizure in her back garden in Dover.

She praised Centra Pulse staff for arranging the emergency support which saved her life.

Operator Melissa Brace alerted the emergency services after failing to get a response from Becky when her fall detector sensor was activated. Paramedics were then able to break in and save her life.

Becky Bridgeman, 30, suffered a seizure in her back garden in Dover but was saved thanks to telecare devices installed by Centra Pulse
Becky Bridgeman, 30, suffered a seizure in her back garden in Dover but was saved thanks to telecare devices installed by Centra Pulse

Ms Bridgeman said: “If it wasn’t for Centra Pulse I would not be alive, let alone feel safe.

“Because of the quick response and the excellent communication with the emergency services, they did save my life.

“If it had taken just a few minutes longer, it would have been a different story.”

Centra Pulse operations director Susan Smart said: “We are proud to have been chosen to deliver this important service that will support thousands of older and vulnerable people in the county for some years to come.

“As one of the country’s largest providers of telecare services we already support many people in Kent to stay living independently and we are pleased to be building on our relationship with Kent County Council with this new partnership that will allow us to increase our scope of work.”

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