South Somerset Homes join forces with Deane Helpline
8 November 2004

Pat Potter (Housing Elderly Services Manager, Taunton Deane Borough Council), Darrell Jackson (Head of Community Services, South Somerset Homes), Carol Wallace (Operator), Councillor Greg Garner (Taunton Deane Borough Council).

South Somerset Homes recently joined forces with the Deane Helpline, a 24-hour emergency response service. The Deane Helpline will provide the community alarm monitoring service to the 53 South Somerset Homes' sheltered and extra care housing schemes as well as handling the out of hour's calls for emergency repairs.

Deane Helpline will monitor all of South Somerset Homes sheltered housing schemes whilst the scheme manager is off duty or away from the scheme ensuring that 24-hour cover is maintained. In addition, Deane Helpline will also provide 24-hour monitoring of the Company's other properties containing community alarms.

Darrell Jackson, Head of Community Services at South Somerset Homes, said, “This is a important service to our residents and I am delighted with the way in which Deane Helpline has responded to the challenge. The service provides a great deal of comfort and reassurance to our vulnerable and older residents. ”

The Deane Helpline Control Room.

Councillor Greg Garner at Taunton Deane Borough Council said, “I am extremely pleased that Deane Helpline has been chosen by South Somerset Homes to provide this valuable service to their customers.”

He continued “We intend to work closely with South Somerset Homes to ensure that each customer receives the caring and efficient service that is the hallmark of Deane Helpline. Taunton Deane Borough Council has been judged Excellent by the Audit Commission, and Deane Helpline's performance in the market-place is further evidence that we are a ‘can do' authority.”