Agenda item
Customer Journey Project
In October, the Housing and Community Care department provided a report on the Customer Journey Project to the overview and scrutiny committee. This report provides an update on the Customer Journey project, and sets progress and further expected progress within the context of how other London boroughs are performing and how Brent are performing within a national context.
Minutes:
The report before the committee provided an update on the Customer Journey project, and set out further expected progress within the context of other London boroughs and how Brent was performing within a national context.
Alison Elliott (Assistant Director, Community Care) set out the background to the personalisation agenda which was required by the Department of Health consultation paper “Putting People First” (December 2007), progress being made in ensuring improved services with a focus on re-ablement, customer choice and control and the process for assessment. She referred to the resource allocation system to ensure needs were met and the need to ensure accuracy, the delivery of quality services and also to the tight timescales involved. Alison Elliott outlined communications and change management plans indicating that staff had been engaged throughout and feedback was positive. A key objective was to improve performance monitoring and management both locally and against national targets. The measurement of outcomes would be incorporated. She assured that once sufficient data had been collected under the new performance framework, there would be a report back.
On a question on the improving the timescales for carrying out social care assessments, Alison Elliott advised that work was taking place with the one stop shop service on ways of involving senior practitioners at an early stage so that approximately 80% of enquiries were resolved in the early stages and, if eligible, routed into re-ablement within 48 hours. Any further assessment would be carried out by the end of a six week period. Feedback from service users and carers was positive and they welcomed the provisions for early assessment. On mobility assessment the committee heard that there was a statutory requirement for an annual assessment however in some cases this would take place more frequently. In answer to question on ranking targets, the Assistant Director responded that the service while striving for excellence would be realistic.
On the take up of direct services, Alison Elliott emphasised that the requirement was for clients to be advised of cost of a service. They could then purchase independently or allow the council to put provision in place. In answer to questions on the monitoring of the take up of direct payments, how informed clients and carers were on what was available and how well clients and carers were coping Alison Elliott responded that a directory of providers would be available to help OSS staff give clear information on services. Approximately 500 people were on direct payments and while there was no information on how well they were coping, facilities were in place for them to receive assistance in managing their accounts should they so wish. Questions were raised on the direct services transformation and whether a task group should be established to consider the provision of day centres. The Director of Strategy, Partnership and Improvement reminded members that direct services had already been scrutinised and a decision taken by the Executive. It would be more appropriate for a progress report to be submitted in a say a year’s time.
Returning to the customer journey, Alison Elliott set out the savings that should be achieved in reorganising the service and enabling qualified staff to focus on specific areas of work with significant savings also to be achieved by managing demand more effectively. In response to a question on IT support she responded that close working was taking place and the existing system Frameworki was being redesigned to be more in line with practitioners’ needs.
The Assistant Director also confirmed that discussions had taken place with trade unions who were also invited to staff meetings.
RESOLVED:-
that the report be noted.
Supporting documents: