APPENDIX 1
Isle of
Wight Social Services and Housing Directorate
Best Value Improvement Plan
1.
Information on
services to be re-designed and re-distributed to target those most in need of
information on the role and scope of the of the out of hours service.
Format
and media to be used will include the potential for rapid production of
information for those with a sensory impairment or to meet the communication
needs of people from ethnic minorities.
2. Out of hours content for the Council’s
electronic access arrangements to be included in the Directorate’s electronic
access strategy.
3. Service users to be periodically consulted
on access arrangements and service quality of the out of hours services.
4. Conclude a service level agreement with
Wightcare Services for the provision of call taking and call management, to
include service standards and protocols.
5. Monitor the effectiveness of jointly managed
Approved Social Work services out of hours, and respond to improvement needs.
6.
A continuous
strategic review of the scope and role of out of hours services, with a cross
Directorate emphasis on responding to emergencies only. (Strategy should ensure that resources are
used by those most in need, and that staff of the service have clear
instructions on how best to deal with a growing workload of non-emergency
calls. The structure should be changed
as needed to ensure a Best value service).
7. A core
set of service protocols to be developed based on best practice.
8. Service
standards to be monitored and performance reported on. Standards to be regularly reviewed and
targets set; user, carer and stakeholder feedback and satisfaction to be
included.
9. Formal protocols for working with Mental
Health Services and Island Doctors on Call to be developed.
10.
All staff on out
of hours duty to have a contractual agreement with the Council clearly stating
responsibilities, accountabilities and rewards.
11. Improved communication between out of hours
staff, including feedback on performance to be included in improved operational
management.
12. Improved record
keeping to be introduced for monitoring of performance and outcomes,
particularly against standards.
Compliance with record keeping policies to be monitored.
13. Introduce to all strategic managers a
checklist for ensuring that key operational policies and procedures give due
regard to the needs of staff working out of hours.
14. The interface between daytime and out of
hours working to be clarified, with attention to communication, the transfer of
work from one service to another, and the management implications of extended
daytime hours
15. The appointment of an operational manager to
oversee improvement and development of the service including:
16. The ethnicity of service users to be monitored to inform
communication and service development.
18. The identification of resources and service
providers to enhance out of hours services will be undertaken, and a ‘market map’
of need out of hours to be produced to inform commissioning.
19.
Construct a
realistic and manageable budget for the out of hours service, and enter
structural costs into the Directorate budget book.
Assessing Need and Providing Services
20. The
improvement of access to the Computer database for Homelessness Officers.
Review
of computer access for Approved Social Workers and Social Workers (EDOs). To be undertaken as part of the Directorates
re-investment in information systems.
21. Recording Policy to be reviewed and
amendments made with regard to out of hours working and contingency planning.