Folkestone & Hythe District Council future-proofs independent living services with NHC Procurement

Member: Folkestone & Hythe District Council

Service Area: Independent living (sheltered accommodation)

Solution: Technology Enabled Lives framework

Scope: Digital telecare upgrade across 14 Independent Living schemes, comprising 618 properties

Folkestone & Hythe District Council accessed NHC Procurement’s Technology Enabled Lives framework to procure a full digital upgrade across its 14 sheltered accommodation schemes.

Folkestone & Hythe District Council manages independent living and age-designated properties in a high number of schemes across the district. Its telecare provision plays a vital role in supporting residents to maintain their independence, remain connected, and live safely and confidently within their own homes.

The challenge

For Folkestone & Hythe District Council, the priority was to fully future-proof its telecare system for independent living schemes well ahead of the January 2027 analogue to digital switchover. The Council needed a solution that could support residents now while preparing services for the years ahead.

The move from analogue to digital systems also created understandable concern among tenants. Residents wanted reassurance that new technology would continue to work when they needed it, and the Council wanted to make sure any change was implemented carefully, with clear communication and personalised support.

Sustainability was another important consideration; Folkestone & Hythe wanted to avoid unnecessary waste, minimise its carbon footprint and choose a genuine digital replacement that would support long-term value rather than rely on an analogue-to-digital bridge solution.

The solution

The Council accessed NHC Procurement’s Technology Enabled Lives framework to secure a compliant, efficient and flexible route to market. By doing so, the Council was able to significantly reduce the time and resources typically required to run a standalone procurement exercise, while still giving the Council confidence that the solution met their objectives. The framework also provided the flexibility needed to shape the call-off process around the Council’s specific requirements, with the support of the NHC Procurement team.

“NHC Procurement made the process so much easier for us because you’ve already done the hard work,” explains Mike Bailey, Tenant Engagement & Independent Living Manager at Folkestone & Hythe District Council. “This saved us considerable time and resource by removing the need to run our own procurement exercise from scratch, while still giving us the flexibility to ensure the solution met our objectives.”

Working with NHC Procurement

Throughout the process, the Folkestone & Hythe team valued the practical support and procurement insight provided by NHC Procurement. The NHC Procurement team were on hand to answer questions, provide guidance at each stage of the process, and help ensure the procurement progressed efficiently and smoothly.

“It’s been a pleasure to work with NHC Procurement and simply so easy,” says Mike. “They are always on hand to answer any questions and support us through the process, minimising paperwork at the same time.”

NHC Procurement’s knowledge of the market and ability to help the Council review the framework in detail were especially valuable. With much of the groundwork already completed through the Technology Enabled Lives framework, the Council was able to save time and resource while retaining assurance around compliance, technical fit and supplier selection.

“Most of the hard work is already done when we come to call off, which saves us so much time and resource,” adds Mike. “The team gives excellent advice and answers our questions efficiently to guide us through every step, and it’s great to be able to email or pick up the phone to our account contact and get support or advice quickly and easily.”

The outcome

By choosing a fully digital system rather than a temporary bridge solution, Folkestone & Hythe District Council has taken a long-term approach to telecare transformation. The new system will help residents continue to live safely and independently, while supporting the Council’s wider priorities around prevention, health, independence, sustainability and future-ready services.

The technology also supports a more flexible service model. Features such as “I’m OK” buttons provide residents with simple ways to check in, helping free up staff resource while allowing the Council to continue providing personal contact for residents who want or need it.

The procurement has also helped the Council get ahead of the national digital switchover. Having started looking at telecare upgrade options in 2022/23, Folkestone & Hythe DC has been able to plan early, identify the right supplier and secure capacity before demand increases across the sector.

Key benefits

• Future-ready services: A fully digital, native IP system supports the Council’s long-term plans for independent living and digital transformation.
• Time and resource savings: The framework reduced the need for a standalone procurement exercise while maintaining flexibility and assurance.
• Resident reassurance: Personal communication and reliable digital technology help residents feel confident that support remains available when needed.
• Sustainability: A genuine replacement solution helps avoid waste and supports the Council’s aim to minimise carbon impact.
• Practical support: NHC Procurement provided clear, timely advice, and ongoing support and guidance throughout the call-off process.

Advice for other organisations

For Folkestone & Hythe DC, the biggest benefit of using NHC Procurement has been the combination of specialist knowledge, flexibility and straightforward support. The Council would encourage other local authorities planning a digital telecare upgrade to start early, allow plenty of time and expect the unexpected.

“Talk to your procurement peers in other organisations and local authorities, see what works for them and learn from their experience, especially those who started this process a few years ago and are well ahead of the switchover,” Mike advises.

The Council also highlights the value of sharing best practice, involving tenants and making sure resident voices are heard in the selection of new systems, particularly where residents may have concerns about the introduction of new technology into their homes. Support from sector partners such as the TSA can also help councils to plan with confidence.

Folkestone & Hythe DC would recommend the Technology Enabled Lives framework to other councils looking for a compliant and supported route to digital telecare transformation. “Absolutely. We did look at other options but went with NHC Procurement because it fit our requirements best. We’ve accessed other NHC Procurement frameworks too, which reflects how consistently good our experience is with the team,” concludes Mike.

Looking back on the process, the Council says working with NHC Procurement has made procurement simpler and more manageable. “It takes the pain out of procurement. If I had to run a full procurement process, there would be so much time and work involved, whereas working with NHC Procurement is very simple, straightforward and the team provide excellent support.”