Doncaster company offers expertise to Taiwan
THE UK’s innovative telecare and telehealth practices were showcased in Yorkshire as part of a Government trade mission, made up of twelve leading figures from the Taiwanese Department of Health.
Officials visited Doncaster-based Tunstall to view the company’s pioneering work and worldwide reputation within the telecare industry.
Tunstall specialises in supplying telehealthcare equipment – which includes telehealth monitors for people with long-term conditions, medication reminders, bed occupancy sensors, door exit sensors and other unobtrusive activity sensors.
The technology has been designed to respond to incidents which may pose a risk to the user, such as if the front door is left open in the middle of the night or a cooker being left on, by sending an alert to a dedicated response centre or a carer.
Telehealthcare solutions play a pivotal role in supporting older people and those with long-term needs to live independently at home for longer.
It also reduces pressures on carers; giving them peace of mind and reassurance that immediate help is on hand if and when needed.
The visit was arranged by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and the Department of Health (DH), with co-ordination support from Medilink (Yorkshire and Humber).
James Buckley, chief executive of Tunstall Healthcare Group, said: “We are delighted to host this high level delegation from Taiwan. The Taiwanese Government is focused and determined to improve outcomes for its ageing population and we know from working with our customers globally, but particularly in the UK, that we have numerous examples of where telecare and telehealth have both improved people’s quality of life and delivered cost efficiencies for the health authorities. Telehealthcare provides healthcare solutions in the home and we believe Taiwan has an opportunity to be a world leader.”
Charlotte Fraser, International Manager at Medilink Yorkshire and Humber and regional specialist for UKTI, said: “We have been working with Tunstall for over a year now supporting their international development and this visit presents an excellent opportunity for Tunstall to have direct access to leading figures from Taiwan’s Department of Health. This kind of support from UKTI, DH and Medilink provides a global level of interaction at the highest level, which supports the growth of the region’s Healthcare Technology sector.”
In Taiwan more than 9.7% of the population is aged over 65, and within the next 20 years this figure will double.
