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

2. 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.

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

4. 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

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

6. 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

7. 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

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

9. 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…….

10. Aims of the new Firmstep System:
All partners to key on their own referrals (no need to fax/phone/ ).
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.

11. A tight timescale…… can we do it?

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

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

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

16. 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

17. 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 / 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 s
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.

18. 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)

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

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

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

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

23. 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)

24. 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.

25. Well Being Assessment Interview

26. Well Being Assessment Interview

27. Well Being Assessment Interview

28. Well Being Assessment - Printables

30. Well Being Assessment - Automated Referral

31. 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!

32. 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

33. 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)

34. 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)?

35. 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!

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