Response to these alarms is a vital factor in delivering an effective service and carers and informal networks can be relied on only so far. Assessment is a key factor and has to be geared towards identifying individual behaviour patterns which are resulting in risk and then employing the correct combination of pieces of technology to monitor the hazards. Sensitive involvement of the service user at all times is important. Strict call-handling guidelines for Control Room Operators is a vital part of the service in order to standardise the initial response to activated alarms.     UPDATE:  Since 2001 MECS has also included: 1) the Epilepsy Monitoring Project using body-worn tilt detectors and in-bed seizure monitors and 2) the Falls Management Project, which is a pilot project linked to falls management clinics and using automatic fall detection equipment.  