Jul 2, 2025

Francisco Ramírez Soler presented a detailed overview of the operation and evolution of the Murciano Institute of Social Action (IMAS), an autonomous body created in 2006 and currently attached to the Ministry of Social Policy, Families and Equality of the Region of Murcia. The IMAS has nearly 2,000 public employees and its mission is to manage centres, services, programmes and social benefits aimed at the elderly, disabled, mentally ill, at risk of social exclusion or other vulnerable groups.

Since the Dependency Law was also approved in 2006, the IMAS has assumed the responsibility of implementing the necessary structure for its application in the region. This involved tasks such as recognising situations of dependency, evaluating grades, and organising an adequate network of services to meet the needs of the population. One of the services most valued by beneficiaries and their families is home telecare.

The service was formally implemented between 2008 and 2010 through a pilot project, managed by three private entities, including Televida (now Tunstall). In 2010, the first regional public tender was launched. The model is currently in its fourth tender and has been incorporating improvements and innovations aimed at the personalisation of the service and its total digitalisation. Since 2023, the service has been completely free for users of the system, which shows the institutional commitment to equity and accessibility.

According to the figures, the Region of Murcia has a population of just over 1.5 million inhabitants, distributed in 45 municipalities. Today, more than 52,000 people are recognised as entitled to the benefits of the dependency system, and more than 14,700 are users of the telecare service, which represents a coverage of close to 35% (not counting people who live in nursing homes). The average cost per user is between 20 and 21 euros per month, which means a regional investment of 2.4 million euros in the last year. Francisco stressed that this investment has a high social return, since it improves the quality of life, reduces the need for institutionalisation and encourages permanence in the community environment.

In addition to the telecare service, the IMAS has developed a specific programme to support non-professional, and often unpaid caregivers, mainly women (wives, daughters, sisters), who take on the daily care of dependent people in their family environment. This programme is aimed at those who care for at least six hours a day and complements the financial provision of care in the family environment with training, guidance and emotional support. Currently, there are about 1,150 caregivers active in this program.

The support provided to them includes personalised telephone campaigns, training workshops, practical guides, recognition events and regular accompaniment by reference telephone operators who make fortnightly calls and provide individualised attention. Technological resources such as bed sensors, door detectors, geolocators and other devices are also used to help ensure the safety of the user without reducing their autonomy, and at the same time alleviate the burden on the caregiver.

In conclusion, Francisco showed a consolidated model of public-private collaboration, focused on the person, sensitive to the diversity of dependency profiles and with a firm commitment to technological innovation and inclusion.