Suffolk County Council has saved £4.2 million in the last year through the adoption of new digital care technology, it has been estimated.

Launched in July 2021, Cassius provides digital care technology to promote the independence of individuals in Suffolk.

The service aims to enable people to be independent for longer and to support them to live safely at home.

The types of technology include movement sensors, smart watches, wearables, fall prevention devices and technology to address specialised needs.

Based upon cost avoidance savings calculated with a "credible and controlled methodology", an estimated £4.2 million saving in the last year.

Chiefs also said that Cassius had improved the lives of 1,600 people with over 2,600 pieces of digital technology installed.

Using health data running from December 2021 to July 2022, they also calculated that implementation of the technology might have avoided 118 ambulance call-outs and prevented 170 days of hospital admissions.

Councillor Rebecca Hopfensperger, cabinet member for adult social care, said: "Cassius has exceeded all our expectations and our social work practitioners are quickly becoming the most digitally advanced in the country.

"We have developed this service from scratch and this data is a testament to how you can transform services and continue to provide positive experiences and benefits to all."

She added: "Most importantly, however, is the impact on people's lives which has been wonderful to see and we are getting some fantastic feedback from people using the technology."

East Anglian Daily Times: Beccy Hopfensperger said the waiting lists for care packages had fallen since July.Beccy Hopfensperger said the waiting lists for care packages had fallen since July. (Image: Archant)

Cassius is a partnership between Suffolk County Council, Alcove, an intelligent care technology ecosystem, and Rethink Partners, an organisation dedicated to improving health and care services.

Bosses say one of the success factors of their technology is that it is customised to a person's individual circumstances, ensuring that it addresses specific requirements.

Hellen Bowey, Alcove chief executive, said: "We plan on continuing to evolve the service and are looking at more health integration, exciting functionality and new ways to incorporate data on our platform to see greater outcomes for people."