Stafford housing association secures major care contract

A STAFFORD housing association has won the contract to provide around the clock telephone support to more than 80,000 people.

Stafford and Rural Homes (SARH) will provide an out-of-hours emergency telephone service for customers living in the districts covered by Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils.

SARH will also provide 24-hour alarm monitoring support to over 2,000 elderly and vulnerable customers within the two local authority areas.

The five-year contract, effective from April 1, will be delivered by SARH’s ‘You First’ service which provides independent living accommodation, extra care housing, Telecare and Lifeline services and a 24 hour customer call centre.

Karen Armitage, SARH chief executive, said: “This is great news for SARH and for our customers. It is an excellent endorsement of our You First services that other organisations now want to use them as well.

“We look forward to working with Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils and providing their customers with a high quality service that enables them to feel safe and secure in their own home.”

SARH’s Lifeline system and Telecare home safety equipment already connects more than 7,000 people in the Stafford Borough Council area to its 24-hour Customer Call centre.

The undisclosed contract with Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils is SARH’s first external contract to provide its You First services.