Glasgow City HSCP completes digital community alarm transformation ahead of national switch-off

Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) has successfully completed a major digital transformation programme, ensuring community alarm services across the city are ready for the UK-wide analogue telephone network switch-off.

The ambitious programme saw the transition of thousands of service users from analogue technology to a modern digital platform, improving service reliability, resilience and support for some of the city’s most vulnerable residents.

As part of the project, a new digital call management system was introduced, more than 9,300 service user records were safely migrated to the new platform and analogue alarm equipment was replaced with digital devices across Glasgow. The programme was completed within national timescales and, importantly, without any interruption to services.

In total, 9,519 digital devices were deployed as part of the transformation. This included 3,800 dual-SIM devices designed to maintain connectivity and reliability.

The remaining 5,719 devices are compatible with a range of enhanced technologies, including bed, chair and property exit sensors. These can provide additional support for people with more complex needs by enabling proactive monitoring and helping to improve safety and wellbeing.

The new digital infrastructure is supported by live system monitoring and a responder application that gives staff real-time access to service user information. Together, these improvements strengthen the service’s ability to respond quickly and effectively while providing greater resilience and reliability.

The success of the programme was made possible through strong partnership working between Glasgow City HSCP’s Community Alarm Service, ICT colleagues, Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) and technology suppliers.

RSL partners played a particularly important role in supporting service users throughout the transition, working closely with individuals to ensure they felt informed, reassured and supported during the installation and changeover process.

Nicola Dolan, Project Manager, said: “This programme is about much more than technology. It is about ensuring people who rely on community alarm services continue to feel safe, supported and connected. By successfully moving to a digital platform, we have future-proofed the service and created opportunities to introduce enhanced monitoring technologies that can further improve safety, wellbeing and independence for those with more complex support needs.”

The project demonstrates how large-scale digital transformation can be delivered safely and effectively while maintaining continuity of care. It also highlights the potential for modern technology to enhance services, support independent living and improve outcomes for people who rely on community alarm services across Glasgow.