Fulfilment was enlightening to community alarm technician

As a Technology Assistant, Paul fits and maintains community alarms for the council as part of the A2D (Analogue to Digital) project, which is updating the technology before analogue telephone services in the UK are switched off.

He has had vast experience in a wide range of jobs, but none of that prepared him for the fulfilment he finds in his current job.

Paul said: "I had never worked in the community before, and I have been amazed at the satisfaction I get from doing so. Our service allows people to get out of hospital or live longer in their homes, or even live with greater independence and confidence.

"It also helps provide support for carers, and there is great reward in knowing that we can have an influence on all of that."

Despite working in this role for three years, it was still able to surprise him with the range of people who can be fascinated in it.

All of the service-users who have community alert alarms and telecare sensors to support them to live well and independently at home need to be transferred to a compatible digital product by the national deadline of December 2025.

Councillor Margaret Walker, Chair of the council's Social Work Resources Committee, said: "Community alarms have been a comfort and a reassurance to many people across South Lanarkshire.

"It is vital that the technology underpinning those resources is fit for the future and so I am delighted at the progress that the team is making thanks to the dedication and efforts of staff like Paul."

Professor Soumen Sengupta, Director of Health and Social Care for South Lanarkshire, said: "Engaging with our communities is at the core of what we do, and embracing digital technologies is vital to the way that care is accessed and provided. Our commitment to A2D is an excellent example of this."

Community alarms are part of a range of assistive technology available to South Lanarkshire residents, and more information can be found on the council website.