The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government is currently consulting on the future for DFGs

The future of DFGs and what it means for prescribers of AT

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government is currently consulting on what the future shouldf be for Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs). DLF has joined the consultation and provided evidence from its work across England along with examples from the wider UK.

The government has already announced that funding will be increased for DFGs as part of the Build Back Better programme, which is their plan for economic growth through ‘investment in infrastructure, skills and innovation’. 

DLF expects that in encouraging prescribing of a wider range of technologies to adapt the home, providers will need training and tools to support this change. It is likely that home adaptations solutions will see greater integration of hardware and software - equipment and digital - to provide holisitc solutions. Greater use of TEC will require staff to be upskilled in assessing, prescribing and intsalling and supporting more integrated AT solutions.

This ethos is a great example of why DLF has chosen to base its new prescribing support tool ProAssist on searching for solutions by functional need, rather than product technology, enabling prescribers to consider products from a variety of technologies and understand the compatbility issues involved. DLF ProAssist can highlight products that might not be the usual go-to and therefore provide the details and evidence needed for prescribers to choose unfamiliar solutions such as technology enabled care (TEC) with confidence.

Prescribers also need to increasingly consider the implications of the digital switchover when choosing TEC solutions. By 2025, all analogue telephone services will be switched off as part of a nationwide upgrade to digital connectivity. DLF ProAssist is a fantastic tool to use in order to assist with both upgrading and sourcing TEC products to futureproof your solutions. The TSA has also produced a useful page if you wish to find out more about the details of the digital switchover and what it might mean for you.

For assessors and prescribers of TEC or those looking to improve their confidence we have recently launched a new course as part of the accredited Trusted Assessor portfolio of accredited courses: Trusted Assessor: Assessing for Telecare Solutions is aimed at those wanting to improve their knowledge of  TEC solutions and includes a module that looks specifically at the digital switchover and preparing care professionals and service users for the switchover event.  The DLF continues to be focused on providing training and tools regarding emerging AT technology you can view an overview of the course by clicking here.

To find out more about our Assessing for Telecare Solutions course, to apply for a 2-month free trial of DLF ProAssist, or to sign up to a yearly subscription, please get in contact with us on enquiries@dlf.org.uk or 0300 123 3084.