CSLG Front Office Shared Services 2008 Siobhan Coughlan 21 June 2008

Front Office Shared Services

FOSS 2007 Projects Main report, 'delivering public sector transformation' and Executive Briefing, ’new designs for public services - delivering better outcomes’ and 16 detailed case studies Dorset for You – a single web portal for the citizens of Dorset Northumbria 101- single number for a range of non emergency services Staffordshire Moorlands District Council: Councils Connect – series of OSS including self service kiosks London: ReportIT - a pan-London service to report street related problems via the 'Your London' web site South Yorkshire: connects - access to services from a broad range of agencies over the web, digital TV and mobile telephones Kent Gateway - multi-agency service in Ashford that delivers public and voluntary services in a retail environment

Multi agency service models Joint OSS/ contact centres – Ashford / Kent Gateway, Sunderland Bunny Hill Multi agency teams - Tameside Older peoples service Customer group models - Children’s Trusts, BEGOP teams, Two tier Pathfinder / enhanced working – Worcestershire Hub, Cumbria, Bucks, Regional / sub regional contact centres – Northumbria 101, London Connects OOH National Service Transformation projects – TUO, FSM, In and Out of Work

Key factors for success Clear Leadership – political & managerial Agreed shared vision across partners – outcomes focused on customers Understanding the needs & engagement of customers Engaging staff – particularly frontline staff Partnership working – governance arrangements Exploiting technology & sharing infrastructure Project management process Innovation & creativity!

Working with local partners to join up services for shared customers

"People should be able to rely on services which are all singing from the same hymn sheet, not working across each other. Responsive, joined up services are already a reality, and with these new powers they are only going to improve," Hazel Blears, Secretary of State, Communities and local government

Local authorities as convenors …… Central Government PCT Private Sector Third Sector Local Government Police Regional Government

Key challenges Understanding shared customers using customer insight, to re organise and deliver services Joining up related services, provided by different organisations, around different customer groups Leveraging assets through sharing frontline and back offices Managing and sharing data across the partners to make it easier for the customer to carry out their transaction Exploiting technology as an effective tool Removing duplication and wastage to drive out efficiency savings through business process improvement

Front Office Shared Services 2008

FOSS 2008 Report Updating the National policy landscape post STA - 'delivering public sector transformation 2008’ Local service transformation Reflecting the ambitions outlined in the Varney work streams to join up services for the citizen and businesses Cross cutting themes including : achieving transformation in two tiers exploiting customer insight Engaging citizens in transformation developing the workforce to support transformation Working with the third sector

Generating and exploiting customer insight This report considers how to generate and make effective use of customer insight to integrate local public services and deliver better outcomes. A number of councils outline their experiences of developing customer insight, including the London Borough of Barnet and Rotherham City Council. They both used customer insight data from a corporate and service-led perspective, as well as discussing specific techniques used.

Developing the workforce to support transformation This report outlines how we can plan and develop the right skills and behaviours in our workforces. It investigates the sorts of skills staff at all levels within councils and their partners will need in the future. This includes customer service and customer insight skills. It looks at the ways that these skills might be developed through recruitment, training and secondments and their impact on our organisations. Highlights the work done by the LB Lewisham to set up the Frontline Academy

Partnering successfully for transformation This report looks at the ingredients for success in multi-agency collaboration, focused on the front office. London Connects shares experiences of how to stimulate successful partnerships in a complex and changing environment, using examples of pan-London projects. The Warwickshire Direct Partnership is a voluntary collaboration of all six councils in Warwickshire. It runs projects involving a range of other local public service partners.

Working with the third sector to transform services This report looks at the role the third sector can play in transforming local services. It advises on how best to engage with organisations in this sector. Rushcliffe Borough Council shares experiences of partnership working with local third and voluntary-sector organisations. The London Borough of Croydon demonstrates how working with the third sector has enabled them to reshape services. This has allowed the council to better meet the needs of its customers.

Engaging citizens in transformation This report demonstrates how we can engage citizens in reshaping local services and the way they are delivered. It looks at how we can reach a wide range of local citizens, including those who have traditionally been excluded from or found it difficult to participate in decision making. Highlights the work being done through the LB Haringey’s Area Assemblies

LGDC / DWP Face-to-face work stream

Service Transformation Agreement ‘A number of Local Authorities are achieving significant improvements in the quality, penetration and accessibility of services by bringing them together in single face-to-face locations. Some of the best examples have been brought together under the "Front Office Shared Service" programme (FOSS). These initiatives also enable central and local government services to be delivered alongside those from the third sector and other partners to provide local solutions to local needs. The LGDC will be encouraging the development of these initiatives.’ ‘The objective for the CSR07 period is to move towards more one-stop shops in places which the public will find convenient; …….and towards finding ways of delivering face-to-face services at a place of the customer’s convenience through the use of mobile service provision’.

Face-to-face work stream LGDC & DWP lead c/o the Delivery Council Identify and share best practice – FOSS, Beacons, Identify and jointly tackle blockages Agree a range of ‘models’ of operation Work with select group of pilot LAs and local partners Use customer insight to identify shared customer requirements & local partners Capture & share learning – to increase the pace of change and consistency of the customer experience

In summary Local government leading service transformation of local public services Lots of innovation & good practice However, Need to highlight & share learning more systematically Need to bring local partners together for the good of shared customers Need to join up services more systematically across the sector to ensure consistently good customer experience