Years of the research: 2006
Country: Hungary
Language: Hungarian
Keywords:
Abstract:
In August 2006 we conducted a detailed survey by questionnaire among the professional emergency alarm centres. The aim was to develop our database on the professional centres and also to maintain a more precise, quantifiable picture of the changes in recent years affecting the emergency alarm service.
Researchers:
Type of research: National
Target group: Service providers of home help with emergency alarm
Sample:
131 professional emergency alarm centres
Aims/Objectives/Background:
The aim was to build a database on the professional emergency alarm centres and also to obtain a more precise, quantifiable picture of the changes in recent years affecting the emergency alarm service.
Findings/outcome/conclusion/research questions:
The technical service providers show a very varied picture in regional distribution. The most balanced picture was found in the central region of Hungary, the situation in other regions was determined by individual companies. There were also big differences between technical service providers in the number of alarm units compared to population size. The number of units per 100 persons was especially high in the case of two technical service providers: Multi-Net Kft. and HB Security Kft. In the majority of cases (77%) the local authority was listed in the operating permit as the maintaining body; this was followed by civil organisations (7%) and multi-purpose micro region groups (7%). In close to two-thirds of cases each professional centre has its own separate control centre, while in more than a third of cases several professional centres are connected to a single control centre. Out of 131 centres, only 26 centres collected fees for the home help with emergency alarm (2006). Centres and carers. There are centres with no qualified carers (on average 61% of carers have specialised qualifications). While on average there were 8 units per carer, there was one case where one carer monitored 42 units. When responding to an alarm call carers use a variety of means of transport to reach the site as quickly as possible. The most often mentioned means was the bicycle (30%), followed by the institution’s car (22.5%). A relatively large number use a taxi when responding to an alarm call (17.55%), but it was not rare for carers to use their own cars for this purpose (12.2%). The 131 centres on which we have information provide care for 19,973 clients connected to the alarm system. The centres have an average of 142 units. At that time (2006) the most frequent was centres with 40 or 50 units, while the smallest centre had 19, and the biggest 2000. Close to half of the centres can be regarded as “small centres” (19-60 units), they possess 16% of all the units. The medium-sized centres oversee 32% (61-296 units), representing 42% of all centres. A 9% minority, the group of “big centres” oversee 53% (310-2000 units). The extreme pattern of the distribution of units can be explained by the differing technical systems and the different interpretations of the professional norms of the home help with emergency alarm system. Centres and carers. There are centres with no qualified carers (on average 61% of carers have specialised qualifications). While on average there were 8 units per carer, there was one case where one carer monitored 42 units. When responding to an alarm call carers use a variety of means of transport to reach the site as quickly as possible. The most often mentioned means was the bicycle (30%), followed by the institution’s car (22.5%). A relatively large number use a taxi when responding to an alarm call (17.55%), but it was not rare for carers to use their own cars for this purpose (12.2%). The 131 centres on which we have information provide care for 19,973 clients connected to the alarm system. The centres have an average of 142 units. At that time (2006) the most frequent was centres with 40 or 50 units, while the smallest centre had 19, and the biggest 2000. Close to half of the centres can be regarded as “small centres” (19-60 units), they possess 16% of all the units. The medium-sized centres oversee 32% (61-296 units), representing 42% of all centres. A 9% minority, the group of “big centres” oversee 53% (310-2000 units). The extreme pattern of the distribution of units can be explained by the differing technical systems and the different interpretations of the professional norms of the home help with emergency alarm system. The technical service providers show a very varied picture in regional distribution. The most balanced picture was found in the central region of Hungary, the situation in other regions was determined by individual companies. There were also big differences between technical service providers in the number of alarm units compared to population size. The number of units per 100 persons was especially high in the case of two technical service providers: Multi-Net Kft. and HB Security Kft. In the majority of cases (77%) the local authority was listed in the operating permit as the maintaining body; this was followed by civil organisations (7%) and multi-purpose micro region groups (7%). In close to two-thirds of cases each professional centre has its own separate control centre, while in more than a third of cases several professional centres are connected to a single control centre. Out of 131 centres, only 26 centres collected fees for the home help with emergency alarm (2006). Centres and carers. There are centres with no qualified carers (on average 61% of carers have specialised qualifications). While on average there were 8 units per carer, there was one case where one carer monitored 42 units. When responding to an alarm call carers use a variety of means of transport to reach the site as quickly as possible. The most often mentioned means was the bicycle (30%), followed by the institution’s car (22.5%). A relatively large number use a taxi when responding to an alarm call (17.55%), but it was not rare for carers to use their own cars for this purpose (12.2%). The 131 centres on which we have information provide care for 19,973 clients connected to the alarm system. The centres have an average of 142 units. At that time (2006) the most frequent was centres with 40 or 50 units, while the smallest centre had 19, and the biggest 2000. Close to half of the centres can be regarded as “small centres” (19-60 units), they possess 16% of all the units. The medium-sized centres oversee 32% (61-296 units), representing 42% of all centres. A 9% minority, the group of “big centres” oversee 53% (310-2000 units). The extreme pattern of the distribution of units can be explained by the differing technical systems and the different interpretations of the professional norms of the home help with emergency alarm system. Centres and carers. There are centres with no qualified carers (on average 61% of carers have specialised qualifications). While on average there were 8 units per carer, there was one case where one carer monitored 42 units. When responding to an alarm call carers use a variety of means of transport to reach the site as quickly as possible. The most often mentioned means was the bicycle (30%), followed by the institution’s car (22.5%). A relatively large number use a taxi when responding to an alarm call (17.55%), but it was not rare for carers to use their own cars for this purpose (12.2%). The 131 centres on which we have information provide care for 19,973 clients connected to the alarm system. The centres have an average of 142 units. At that time (2006) the most frequent was centres with 40 or 50 units, while the smallest centre had 19, and the biggest 2000. Close to half of the centres can be regarded as “small centres” (19-60 units), they possess 16% of all the units. The medium-sized centres oversee 32% (61-296 units), representing 42% of all centres. A 9% minority, the group of “big centres” oversee 53% (310-2000 units). The extreme pattern of the distribution of units can be explained by the differing technical systems and the different interpretations of the professional norms of the home help with emergency alarm system.
Publication/reports: Internal publication - National Methodology Centre of the Hungarian Maltese Charity Service 2006.
Financed by: Hungarian Maltese Charity Service
Contact person: Zoltán Tarnai e-mail: tarnai.zoltan@maltai.hu
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