Salutem Care and Education
“It’s great to work with a partner who can talk to you, understand what the problem is and come up with a solution for it. It’s the partnership approach that we love.”
Over 2,500 staff
Full 3CX installation
All costs recouped within 12 months
Removed all outdated copper cabling
Multi-site implementaion
The Client
Salutem Care and Education is a leading provider of specialist services and support for adults and children with complex needs. With more than 2,500 staff supporting over 1,800 individuals across England and Wales, the organisation operates a national network of residential homes, day centres and schools.
Established in 2017, Salutem has grown significantly while maintaining its commitment to person-centred care. Its services are trusted by over 200 commissioners, with more than 95% of individuals placed through local authorities. Salutem has also earned recognition from the Top Employer Institute as one of the UK’s Top 50 Inspiring Workplaces.
The Project
When Dave Pagett joined Salutem as Group Head of IT in 2023, one of his first tasks was to review the company’s entire IT infrastructure. He identified the need to replace Salutem’s outdated copper cabling ahead of the PSTN switch-off in 2027, while addressing high connectivity costs across its 150 services and four schools.
The project required a comprehensive telecommunications overhaul to support Salutem’s digital transformation strategy. Key objectives included reducing costs, integrating with Microsoft Teams, providing dedicated phone extensions for all staff, and a system that would support lone and remote workers.
After going to tender in April 2024, Salutem selected Spire Technology Group to deliver this complex, multi-site implementation.
The Solution
Spire recommended 3CX, a hosted telephony solution ideal for Salutem’s multi-site environment.
The phased implementation was designed and built to be fully redundant, to ensure Salutem’s services remain online at all times. Its initial four instances are hosted within AWS, allowing continuous connectivity across all services.
Each location was tackled individually, with Spire providing comprehensive project management. The solution included preconfigured handsets that could be shipped directly to sites for plug-and-play installation, alongside a mobile app allowing care assistants to take calls at patients’ bedsides. Spire managed the entire process, from initial scoping and design work to installing new fibre connections and managing the phased switch-off of existing copper lines. Our careful approach ensured service continuity throughout the transition.
The Impact
The new 3CX telephony system has transformed communication across Salutem’s nationwide network. Staff report significant improvements in their ability to reach colleagues directly rather than relying on emails or Teams messages.
The system’s flexibility – users can access it through their laptops or mobiles – has eliminated the need for physical handsets in many locations. Opening new facilities or adding new services has also become remarkably straightforward, with Spire managing each additional installation via a project management portal. The system also helps provide better communications support for lone and remote workers, particularly in supported living environments.
Most impressively, despite the significant investment, Salutem expects to recoup all its costs within twelve months of project completion, delivering exceptional ROI.
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