Hft, a national charity for people with learning disabilities and their families, has been announced as the winner of the Laing & Buisson Independent Healthcare Award for Best Use of Technology after adopting a personalised technology system for its service users.

The Best Use of Technology award is open to providers in all fields of independent health and care delivery and recognises the top technology that has made the greatest impact during the past year.

Currently over 200 of the 750 people Hft supports use some form of personalised technology, including ICT, Telecare (a bespoke alarm and telephone service that enables vulnerable individuals to live independently in their own home), environmental controls, communication and mobility aids. 

“Personalised Technology has the potential to make a significant contribution to both the quality of life of people with learning disabilities and to the national problem of the increasing ‘dependence ratio’ between those who need support and those able to provide it”,  said director of information strategy at Hft, Steve Barnard.

“It's really good that Personalised Technology is finally being acknowledged in the way that it benefits people with learning disabilities and their carers. The people that Hft supports have yet again shown, in the way that they have embraced Personalised Technology, that they have more potential than sometimes is appreciated,” he added.