From beds and stairlifts to sensors and even a lifelike cat and dog, Manchester’s new Smart Suite facility lets you see and test the adaptations and technology that keep people safe and independent at home.

• Smart Suite is open to the public now and it’s easy to book a visit.
• Over 33,000 pieces of equipment are provided to people each year in Manchester.

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A new facility has opened in Manchester that allows people to see and try out the equipment and adaptations that can keep them independent at home.

From accessible kitchen and bathroom equipment, walking aids and alarms, right through to beds and stairlifts, Smart Suite is kitted out like a fully functioning real home. It’s got lots of examples of equipment that can be provided by Manchester Local Care Organisation – the partnership between the NHS and Manchester City Council that provides community health and adult social care in the city.

Located just near the Etihad Stadium, Smart Suite provides a place where service users, families, carers and health and care staff can try equipment out and see how it looks and works in a home.

Smart Suite is in a large single room which has been modelled like a real home and includes a kitchen which has height adjustable kitchen appliances, easy access cupboards and fittings, electronically lowering storage facilities and small appliance options. The Living Room area has sensor and alarm equipment, chair risers and walking aids.

A bathroom area showcases shower, bath and toilet adaptations including shower chairs, easy-use taps, toilet rails and powered equipment to lower people into the bath safely. A separate demo area has toilets with automatic washing and drying features installed as well as hoists. The bedroom has electronically adjustable beds, sensor mats for motion, falls and epilepsy detection, bed rails and more.

Smart Suite also includes stairlifts and a working through-floor vertical lift and all the Technology Enabled Care (TEC) devices provided in Manchester. TEC devices include falls alarms and GPS trackers, electronic medication reminder systems, detection mats, environmental sensors, and activity monitoring devices. They’re all designed to keep people safe at home, triggering alarms to the city’s response team or carers if needed.

The majority of equipment the team can provide is funded through social care assessments. They can also advise on equipment that isn’t provided as standard and how to purchase items. That even includes interactive cat and dog ‘pets’ that respond to touch and sound which are designed to allow people who aren’t able to keep pets at home any more to have them as company.

Councillor Thomas Robinson, Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care, said:

“Manchester’s Smart Suite is a pioneering new facility for residents across our city. This is a team which helps some of our most vulnerable Mancunians, and something myself and my Gran personally received support from in 2019. The way in which this service focuses on helping our residents really is testament to how we look after our own in Manchester.

“To that end, each year across the city we provide over 33,000 pieces of equipment and technology that helps keep our residents independent and safe in their own homes. We know that the last thing Mancunians want is to leave their homes for care or support, so we’re determined to prevent that in every way we can. Now at the Smart Suite people have the chance to see the kind of things that can support them, try them out and see if it’s right for them and their home.

“Moving forward our team at Smart Suite will guide you and be able to give expert advice and answer any of your questions. This links to a more detailed assessment of what is right for you. Some of the things that can be provided are life-changing and being able to see them in situ will help people to understand how they work.”

Smart Suite is located on Philips Park Road near the Etihad Stadium. It’s open almost every working day for the public as well as professionals working in health and care. You need to book a visit by calling the team on 0161 277 1704 or emailing mft.msil-assessment-team@nhs.net

Find out more here.