Advances in medical equipment and technology have, and will continue to, enabled more patients to be treated remotely in their own homes, should they so wish. Telecare refers to the remote delivery of care and support in the home. The rationale for telecare is that it can provide virtual 'personal' contacts without the need for healthcare professionals or their patients to travel. As more patients choose to remain in their homes and live independently, the location of the provision of care is becoming more important and new technology enables this opportunity to become a reality.

Initially telecare included personal response systems, used for high-risk patients and people living alone. Activating the transmitter would provide a direct link via telephone to the call centre for immediate intervention. More recently, systems have been developed to provide a full range of security, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and personal communications.

NHS Direct is an example of how care and advice can be provided remotely, via a telephone line, digital television to provide nurse-led consultations direct into patients' living rooms is a further example. Future developments will include the use of Internet technologies to provide 'virtual' visits.