Telephony

ExtraCare is seeking a modern telephony solution that:

1. Delivers a cloud-first VOIP service that leverages existing internet connectivity over SIP trunks, provides centralised management, and reduces the volume of on-site hardware (there are no local IT staff at individual sites).

2. Maintains a highly reliable telephone service appropriate to a critical healthcare environment, supporting continuity of care for residents and effective working for staff.

3. Provides full functional equivalence with the existing analogue services, including warden call, door entry, door sensors and panic buttons, and the I'm OK wellbeing check-in.

4. Utilises the existing analogue cabling within resident apartments to avoid the cost, complexity and disruption of installing new data cabling and undertaking construction work in individual apartments.

5. Uses digital DECT to ensure consistent and strong signal in all areas of resident apartments, supporting staff who deliver care.

6. Provides centralised, remote management of the cloud service, ATAs, DECT infrastructure and handsets, suitable for administration by the ExtraCare IT team.

7. Delivers a cost-effective service over a five-year contract term, with transparent pricing, predictable call costs, and the ability to add and remove sites over time.

All proposed equipment and services must also meet the following baseline requirements:

• All hardware supplied shall be new, unused, and of current production models, sourced directly from original manufacturers or authorised distributors and resellers.
• All hardware shall comply with relevant international safety and quality standards, including CE, UKCA and RoHS where applicable.
• All installed hardware and software must remain within vendor support for the duration of the contract plus two years.
• The supplier shall hold ISO 27001 (preferred) or Cyber Essentials Plus certification at the time of bidding and maintain certification for the duration of the contract.
• The supplier shall manage personnel in line with cyber security best practice, including the use of multi-factor authentication for remote access to ExtraCare equipment, effective leaver management, the provision of access logs on request, and avoidance of shared logon credentials.