1. Information, advice and guidance and digital tools Health and Care
Lucy Gratton

2. Staffordshire Cares.info
Great site in its day
But…..over the years:
It became too unmanageable
The customer journey was lost
It was getting out of date
Too many links were breaking
It was difficult to find what you wanted
Main purpose was to find all information advice, guidance in all one place
Aim is to support you and those you care for to self help and stay independent
Duty placed on local authorities by the Care Act 2014 to provide information, advice and guidance for everyone regardless if they have eligible social care needs.. so the site helped to fulfil that purpose at the time.

3. The task
Looking at the customer journey.. Starting with questions like what is a needs assessment and how do I get one?
How do we make the information we want to share as easy to understand as possible
Looking at what people searched for the most and ensuring we provide good quality information about it.
Providing as much preventive IAG as possible – reduce demand / support people to self help / provide alternative solution
New Director adult social care in September 16.
Set me a task to look at Staffordshire Cares and see what we could do to improve it
Went about reviewing and reshaping the information we had… use slides

4. The solution
Most people use a search engine to find the information you want
Search engines favour gov.uk sites
Most people’s first thought of where you go for social care advice was the LA.
So the content was uplifted to the staffordshire.gov.uk website
As well improving the content, we also started to look at where people actually start to search for information..
Very few people actually going to the Staffordshire cares website.. Mainly because it is a name you have to know or remember
Also most people actually search for information via a search engine such as google, and when you typed in information about adult social care – the information that we wanted to see on Staffordshire cares was very low down in the search list – so you would have to go looking for it
We know that google favours local authority websites, so it made sense to start the rebuilding the information on the staffordshire.gov.uk site.

5.
You can now find all the IAG guidance you need to know about adult social care on the website
The site is live
How do I find the info?
Go to the home page of the county council website and click on adult social care
Type in adult social care Staffordshire into google
Type the web address straight into the box at the top of internet browser
You can find information about how to get an social care assessment, how to stay independent such as getting some equipment and technology for help with daily living, how to prevent falls, how to stay healthy.
If you or someone you know is struggling to get online to find the information they need, they can always phone the county council and we can provide that information over the phone –
You also get online and use the computers at local and some community venues throughout the county – don’t forget most people also have smart phones so you can still see the information as it is mobile friendly
Always looking to improve the content, so urge you go on take a look and it, see what you think and give some feedback if you feel it needs improving, or you could find what you looking for.
My address / mobile number is at end of the presentation for you to get in touch

6. Staffordshire Marketplace
Another great site in it’s day.
Sadly, not actually a marketplace
Became Staffordshire Cares help yourself
Hit rate low to this site
Customer journey was difficult
Lost it’s identity – needed a logo, an easy name, an easy web address
Also been making to changes to another website that was known as the Staffordshire Marketplace / purple pages
Very simply the Staffordshire Marketplace was a health and care directory that provides access to details about hundreds of local organisations, groups, programmes, events and schemes that can offer care, support, something do, or just someone to chat to over a coffee
slides…

7. Staffordshire Connects
Rebranded the site now known as Staffordshire Connects and it has got a new logo / web address
Still a directory but the ethos is more about connecting people to local organisation, services and support that can help you to stay independent and well
The idea being that ‘‘The more connected you are the better your mental and physical wellbeing’
Clear links to Staffordshire connects from the adult social care pages on the staffordhshire.gov.uk website, so we are getting a lot more traffic to the site than before.
You can also use the web address which is..
Google is also starting to recognise the name as well in searches

8. Staffordshire Connects
How do I find information?
You can search for what you are looking for by using one of the categories such as living independently or you type in a key word in the search box, and then narrow it down putting in place name or a postcode.
You then click on an organisation to get more information about what they provide, and if you want to save that information you can add it to what's known as ‘my shortlist’
Saves it as list for you, you can then that list yourself or share it with someone else, or you can download it and print it off.
You can also send your self a text with the details of the organisation on it – so you can give them a ring from your mobile
Other features we have added to the include a:
A news rotator where we can share information about key changes / campaigns – information on there about importance staying hydrated – virgin care
There a also a number of digital tools on the site that site you can use

9. Staffordshire Connects
This is an example of what the shortlist looks like. You can even see the results a map so you know exactly where the organisation is located

10. Staffordshire Connects
A lot of organisations on Staffordshire connects currently and we may have yours on there already.
If you are on there currently I would like you log in and check your record, and make sure it’s up to date and providing the right information ---use the sign in button to do tis. You can reset your password if you need to
If you aren’t a part of Staffordshire connects and you would like to join, can do so by creating a account (register button) and then adding the some information about your organisation.
This will then be authorised our end to check its okay and then it will made live .
We are also doing some joint work with Gary from Support Staffordshire to find a way that we could possibly share some of the data that they hold about the many community groups and organisations out there, and ensure it is kept up to date
But we of course need to have the providers permission to do that, so hopefully when we have agreement we can start to move forward with that shortly.
Other features we have added to the include a:
A news rotator where we can share information about key changes / campaigns – information on there about importance staying hydrated – virgin care
There a also a number of digital tools on the site that site you can use

11. Staffordshire Connects
Other features we have added to the site include a:
A news rotator where we can share information about key changes / campaigns – information on there about importance staying hydrated – virgin care
There a also a number of digital tools on the site that you can use which includes:
A social care self assessment tool – where by you can self assess your own or someone's else care needs. If the tool suggests you do need some support, you can then simply send the form onto the county council and they will give you a call back.
The tool also gives you loads of information, advice and guidance along the away to help you out

12. Staffordshire Connects
Also, an equipment and technology product showroom whereby you search for aids, gadgets and adaptations that help with daily living. May be something like a grab rail or a personal alarm.
Basically the showroom shows you a picture of the products, gives you information about and it, tells you the price range and where you buy it from. Using catalogues such as medequip and other big retailers to provide that information.

13. Staffordshire Connects
There is also a health and wellbeing planning tool that you can use to help you change some of your lifestyle behaviours such as stopping smoking , drinking less alcohol, losing weight
The tool helps you toform a plan, set some goals and then gives you some helpful information and gives you details of where you can go for some support. This may be an organisation such as weight watchers if you want to loose weight or it may be an app that you candownload if you want to track how much walking you are doing.

14. My details Lucy Gratton – Staffordshire County council
Lots to see on the site, so please take a look, check and see if you are on there and that your details are up to date.
If you want any more information, please get it touch. I am more than happy to come out to you and demo the site in person
I will try and circulate some materials and resources around so you can promote the site if you wish to others