Scarborough Borough Council The Art of the Possible: The Home Improvement Agency Multi-Agency Processes Lynn Williams Sharon Carey 1

Who are we? The White Rose Home Improvement Agency is a non-profit making partnership between Scarborough Borough Council and Ryedale District Council. What do we do? Assist older, disabled and vulnerable people to stay independent in their own homes by providing advice and support with housing adaptations and repairs.

Services in the HIA: Major Adaptations (Disabled Facilities Grants) Well Being Service Handyperson Service (since 2014) Gardening Service

Existing innovative ways of delivering DFGs: No paper files - internet based case manager system Officers using iPads to complete the administration of DFGs Framework of contractors

Why Change? In 2013 the County re-tendered HIA and Handyperson/Well Being services, with limited funding the bids had to be very competitive

Our bid included: No administration post Savings in administration were used to provide field officers We intended to use iPads and purchase extra case manager support

Within 3 months we had to…. Set up a Handyperson service from scratch Jan 2014: Bid Successful! Within 3 months we had to…. Set up a Handyperson service from scratch Establish an efficient process with a number of external partners to enable referrals to the service

Use Existing Referral Systems? Fax / email / phone referrals Lack of budget control for NYCC OT Managers Double keying of information / major administrative burdens Lack of security to system

Feb 2014: A chance meeting…. HIA Manager ‘gate crashes’ a meeting looking at the Councils processes within the other Housing teams and the use of a new system ‘Firmstep’ This is followed by a light bulb moment…….

Aims of the new Firmstep System: All partners to key on their own referrals (no need to fax/phone/email). Referrals to be picked up on an iPad and carried out by the Handypersons with no admin involvement. Stock and management data would be recorded.

A tight timescale…… can we do it?

Aim: To create electronic version of this ‘simple form’

Developed initial process for go live on 1st April 2014 Re-engineered with enhancements for new forms and Dash for 1st August 2014

Scarborough Borough Council LIVE DEMO: Request: Gemma Albon Authorise: Lynn Williams Action: Gary Wright 15

What it delivers… All key partners can log into system Budget focused on “doers” not admin Delivers accurate and secure data Allocates to contract frameworks Agile working saves travelling time Calculates costs Speedy early release from hospital

Mapping Efficiencies: Old vs New Process Paper Form completed on site by NYCC, NHS, YCH, other organisations Returned to the office – faxed or posted to NYCC for approval Received and passed to appropriate officers in-tray (desk) Manually recorded – approved by NYCC Sent to HIA by email / fax / post / telephone call Manual entry onto case management system Allocated to Handypersons Work sheet printed off for Handy person Allocated to Framework contracts via emails Handyperson collected worksheets from the office and booked appointments Property visit to carry out work and complete paper form Take completed forms back to office Manual entry of work completed onto case management system Cost calculation and performance management done separately.

Statistics: 1857 referrals (35 - 40 per week) 123 referring officers £74,400 work (items at cost price) requested 100 referrals involving framework contractors 16.6% referrals actioned same day 45% referrals actioned within 48 hours 10,900 miles claimed (average of 10 miles per referral in an area of 890 square miles)

CASE 172928 – 17/11/2014 End to end completed in 2 hours and 1 minute

CASE 199345 – 22/12/2014 End to end completed in 5 hours and 36 minute

CASE 292332 – 24/03/2014 Completed in 2 hours 24 minutes (after authorisation)

‘What did we do next’? and ‘Where do we go next?’

Handyperson and Well Being Customer Requests Simplified the existing referral process Used the same forms in a new process Small repairs are chargeable Promotes and offers other HIA Services (e.g. Well Being Assessments and Winter Warm Packs)

Well Being Assessment Process Specifically designed to work on the ‘Mobile App’. Fully scripted interview for completion in the Client’s home. Produces full reports of all advice, contact information and referrals advised and made by the HIA to produce support plans. Will automatically complete the referrals to 25+ agencies in relation to 35+ different matters. Will pull through data from Handyperson and Well Being Referral or Customer Request or can start new case.

Well Being Assessment Interview

Well Being Assessment Interview

Well Being Assessment Interview

Well Being Assessment - Printables

Well Being Assessment - Automated Referral

Use existing processes within the App… Opens up additional possibilities We work in a very remote area, but this allows us to work offline and ‘sync’ later ….so now we can now do more!

Disabled Facilities Grants: Problems with existing process…. Getting the recommendations to HIA and Housing Associations securely Authorisation by OT Managers Double keying - entering cases on our case manager system and again for a Well Being visit

Proposed Process within Firmstep: Follow the handyperson / Well Being process with referrals authorised by OT Managers. Housing Associations added to process (permissions and landlords certificates) Link into existing case management system (remove double keying for admin and well being officers)

The question is …. We constantly review processes as system develops Will we end up with the full DFG process on Firmstep (one system for all HIA services)?

Big wins for us: Ability to work efficiently and seamlessly across multiple agencies. Saving money: Wasn’t about the money but….we saved money too!

….harder to evidence the savings in the other agencies. The Independent 22 March 2015 ….harder to evidence the savings in the other agencies.