The Technological Intervention for Community Safety. · ‘The role of technology in ensuring community safety is essential. It brings with it real solutions and benefits to service

Locality Whitepaper.

The Technological Intervention for Community Safety.

The Technological Intervention for Community Safety.

A project undertaken to see how technology can be developed to manage community safety

Executive Summary This paper outlines the requirements of Case Management technology for service delivery teams in tackling Anti-Social behaviour, Domestic Abuse and Hate Crime. We conclude that technological intervention in how cases are managed is essential to enabling satisfactory case resolution. In addition, technological intervention can greatly improve upon service delivery and internal organisational efficiency. In order to develop the most effective process for protecting those vulnerable within our society several key Case Management product features are essential and emergent. This conclusion is supported by consultation and testimony from national policy advisers; sector experts and campaigners, product implementations and associated case studies of best practice. ‘The role of technology in ensuring community safety is essential. It brings with it real solutions and benefits to service delivery and operational efficiency. Technology can be a force for good.’

Adrian Leen, Locality Solutions

Locality Whitepaper. 1 The Technological Intervention for Community Safety

Six Key Findings

❏ Case Management technology can provide a return upon investment & improve service efficiency

Case studies demonstrated a 200% ROI (cost of procurement measured against efficiency savings) & 25% reduction in administration

❏ Case Management technology can provide leading satisfaction levels of case resolution

Case studies identified 98.4% positive satisfaction with case resolution

❏ Case Management technology can define an organisational process for tackling ASB, domestic abuse & hate crime.

Defined, configurable workflow can automate processes such as task and form generation, enabling secure data capture, whilst ensuring a consistent and performance driven approach

❏ Case Management technology can enable effective multi agency

working & information sharing

Case studies evidenced Victim Support, Housing providers, the Police & other partner agencies actively collaborating on cases

❏ Case Managment technology can realise key sector service transformation challenges, such as mobile working

Case studies show the implementation of technology not only impacts upon organisational transformational challenges but is replicable across other organisational functions (i.e. HR, maintenance & repairs, tenancy enforcement etc)

❏ Case Management technology can answer upon needs of providers

Case studies evidenced a ranking of 100% satisfaction against procurement criteria


Index of Contents

Our Approach : User Centred Design 5

Setting the Scene 6

*Design Part One 7

*Implementation 15

RCT Homes : Case Study 16

*Service Transformation Part Two 25

Mobile Workforce 27

Risk Assessment 29

Multi Agency Working 31

Appendix One - ‘Don’t Look Back’ : Rachel Williams Story 34

Appendix Two - User Stories 38

Appendix Three - The Business Case 43 Background

Locality Solutions is a UK based, global technology company which specialises in developing technology to improve services in anti-social behaviour & domestic abuse management. Locality utilise a user-centred approach to product development, engaging with key national advisers on Government policy and legislation and working closely with service delivery teams. Case Management is a product currently on the market to service delivery teams in a variety of forms and approaches, provided by both Locality and a number of software providers.


User Centred Design. User-centred design is a framework which focuses on the needs, wants, and limitations of the end users of a product. Service and processes are given extensive attention at each stage of the design process. This approach sees to optimise the product around how users can, want, or need to use the product, rather than forcing the users to change their behavior to accommodate the product. User-centred design can be characterised as a multi-stage problem solving process. It not only requires designers to analyse and foresee how users are likely to use a product, but also to test the validity of their assumptions with regard to user behavior in real world tests. “User-centred design means understanding what your users need, how they think, and how they behave — and incorporating that understanding into every aspect of your process.”

Karen Boparoy, Locality Solutions

Our approach to this challenge was user-centred with consultation & testimony from national policy advisers, sector experts & leading campaigners and applied case studies of best practice from service delivery teams.


Setting the scene Across recent legislation there is a consensus for the need of collaborative multi-agency working, better information recording, more effective information sharing and intervention of technology to improve delivery and efficiency of public services. Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015 Social Services and Well Being (Wales) Act 2015 Well Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 Housing (Wales) Act 2014 Serious Crime Act 2014 “It’s a Wales where we work completely differently so we all make better decisions, transform services, tackle root problems and use scarce public money to maximum effect.”

Sophie Howe, Well-Being Future Generations Commissioner


Design. Part One

Our approach to this challenge was user-centred with consultation & testimony from national policy advisers, sector experts & campaigners and applied case studies of best practice from service delivery teams.


In designing a prototype for unique Case Management technology, several key product features emerged, resultant from real-life user challenges. Additionally, It was essential to create a clear process for managing a case and adoption of these new features. Product Features Collaboration 09 Forms & Workflow 10 Alerts & Notifications 11 Report & Dashboard 12 Security 13 Prototyping the Process 14


Need

“We need to be able to share information with other parties securely and effectively.”

Intervention

Collaboration feature. You can invite partner agencies to work with you by sharing files and other case information within a secure environment, improving dialogue and ensuring joined up thinking. When sharing information, controls can be set up which allows individuals to change the level of access different users have.


Need

“I need to access information quickly, gain a full picture and manage my

process”

Intervention

Forms & Workflow feature. An automated workflow allows you to guide your teams and partners through the tasks and actions to achieve results. The ability to create customised forms to update vital details as you work through a case, in combination with this, customising your workspace allows users to prioritise data widgets for simpler use. Therefore tailoring the system to create ease of use and flexibility, embedding any organisation's unique business processes and terminology.


Need

“Any changes to a case, I need to be updated immediately. Likewise the ability to notify other asap.”

Intervention

Alerts and Notifications feature. Alerts and notifications instantly update collaborators when actions are taken on a case they are involved in. The system lets you set criteria-based alerts, so your team and your partners are pro-actively updated with the latest details. Our mobile app utilises smartphone/tablet alerts and allows you to check case updates wherever you are. In addition, notifications can also be sent to customers with automated or manual SMS and/or emails whilst on the move.


Need

“Carrying out a quality case review is essential, furthermore predictive reporting would make the job easier.”

Intervention

Report and Dashboard feature. Quality case reviews and assurance checks make sure your service meets compliance regulations, one click generates a comprehensive case history report. Detailed reports can be created through a report builder, allowing end users more control in interrogating, building and sharing reports. The configurable dashboard and reporting module allow you to review case status and key performance indicators.


Need “Risk assessment is vital, I need the ability to securely share information

with other parties.”

Intervention

Security feature. The software is hosted in certified data centres to ensure teams can securely collaborate on sensitive information and complies with the EU Data Protection by ensuring all data is stored in the EU.

The software ensures you have complete control over your data through its’ audit trail facility, fine grain user controlled permissions and multi-factor authentication for a secured login.


Prototype the process

> Log a Case Through any compatible device such as desktop, Android or iOS. Cases can also be logged via email, SMS or 3rd party system.

> Collaborate

Invite partner agencies to work with you securely. Upload and share case information with the lead case manager. Only those you invite to access it, see it.

> Forms & Workflow Create customised forms to update vital details as you work through the case. The automated workflow allows you to guide your teams and partners through the tasks and actions to achieve results.

> Alerts & Notifications

The mobile application allows you to check in on any case, wherever you are. This means you can notify customers with automated or manual texts and emails whilst on the move.

The system lets you set criteria-based alerts, so your team and your partners have the most up-to-date details.

> Report & Dashboard

Feedback on performance can be gained with a customer satisfaction survey, sent by text or email.

A quality case review and assurance check can be carried out to make sure your service meets compliance regulations. One click generates a comprehensive case history report.

> Security

The software is hosted in certified data centres to ensure teams can securely collaborate on sensitive information.

Through the audit trail and security admin facilities to ensure granular user permissions, you can have complete control over your data.


Implementation.

In design and implementation of the Case Management technology we worked in collaboration with one of Wales’ largest housing providers. RCT Homes


RCT Homes : Case Study

Housing Association, RCT Homes old system was, as staff described, unintuitive, overly complicated, time consuming and, frustrating to use. Their software provider, a market leader at the time were unable to provide solutions to these issues and there would be little opportunity to implement changes in future updates. “RCT Homes had previously managed a growing ASB case workload using an internal housing management system, but data was duplicated, insecure and regularly lost”

Jon Tumelty, RCT Homes


The Challenge RCT Homes had a combination of individual challenges, making it extremely difficult to establish a defined process for tackling anti-social behaviour. Problems included:

❏ Non-existent reporting and limited customer service when

neighbourhood managers were unavailable

❏ Invisible systems, leading staff to rely on time-consuming print-outs

❏ An inability to access case data whilst working outside the office, leading

to infrequent and irregular updates

Initially, the identification of RCT Homes ASB system was vital in understanding

its complexities and inefficiencies, some of the main system errors were:

❏ There was no workflow feature and therefore no clear processes and

procedures. The system did not have the ability to guide users through

follow-on tasks and even scheduling or creating a new case/incident.

❏ Without the central workflow feature, the system was unable to prioritise

work through a ‘traffic light system’. For user and supervisors this is

essential in overseeing performance without having to conduct a detailed

case review.

❏ There was an inability to grade incidents or risk assessment data in a way

for the system to prompt users to vary their course of action.

❏ Duplication occurred frequently, as the original system was unable to

produce an incident schedule, users would print each incident page, letter

and note individually. In most cases the incident would be print screened

and put into a word document in order to produce a chronological

document for review.


❏ Inability to link cases with other colleagues, therefore making it difficult to

identify the officers specifically dealing with the case at any point in time.

This mirrored with linking cases to other active cases, causing difficulties

in getting a true picture of a perpetrator or victim’s situation.


Our Approach Meeting RCT Homes’ requirements meant creating a tailored, smooth and agile journey, a transparent process. We worked in close consultation throughout the whole process, this was essential in ensuring we understood and were able to meet the requirements of product users, shaping and implementing the aforementioned product features. In implementation, existing data from multiple sources was migrated directly into the Case Management software, with no loss of data and maintaining accuracy at all times. The new system and its features gave the capability to generate solutions for all of the original system issues, additionally further product features enabled a more effective service. Additional benefits included:

❏ Giving the capacity to store an incident location, or address of

complainants and perpetrators, thus allowing for increased accuracy and

effectiveness of mapping, hot spotting and information sharing.

❏ Creating different tiers of system and information access levels, therefore

only those who have permissions can view and take on specific tasks or

actions on a case. This can also be extended to partner agencies and

customers enabling them to access the system and gain limited visibility

of case information.

❏ Dashboard and reporting tools allow users, supervisors and managers to

monitor trends, case activities and highlight any challenged with service

delivery.

❏ The mobile application solutions enable staff to remote work whilst out in

the community.

❏ Collaborating securely and thus having complete control over data

through audit trails was paramount with every document generated being

stored within a case.

❏ A workspace created to share information with internal staff and partner

agencies, allowing for joined up thinking.


Our Solution

As a result of our bespoke solution, RCT Homes’ community safety team are now empowered to deliver efficient and seamless provision to service users.

Benefits include:

❏ The production of visible and configurable workflows

❏ Collaboration with key agencies and partners, in real time, with intuitive

and mobile technology

❏ Improved customer satisfaction and reduced administration time, thanks

to automated communication methods such as two-way SMS

❏ Improved reporting

A massive number of workarounds and other waste tasks have been removed.

❏ 3 days per year for the Community Safety Team inputting customer

satisfaction scores into an ASB Performance Templates

❏ 74 days per year for the Community Safety Team as a result of reduced

administration tasks and double entry

❏ 6 days per year for the Admin team based on analysis from their Services

ASB Satisfaction review

❏ 75 days per year of admin time specifically mapped to dealing with ASB


An estimated saving of 158 days excluding any additional savings

realised by Customer services


“Since launch, we have seen an increase in quality and customer satisfaction. From start to finish, which included a major transformation at RCT Homes.”

Adrian Barber, Acting CEO, RCT Homes


“The whole process has been refreshing, Locality was a different system and process from the beginning, being involved in the development has been a massive benefit.” “The Professional services element has been ‘Organic’, both effective and beneficial, we have something special here and are well-placed in tackling Anti-Social Behaviour and Domestic Abuse.”

Jon Tumelty, RCT Homes


Suggested Additional Listening

Jon Tumelty Community Safety Manager, RCT Homes Audio Testimonial https://soundcloud.com/locality-solutions


Service Transformation. Part Two


Through designing and implementing Case Management technology for tackling Anti-Social behaviour, Domestic Abuse & Hate Crime, implications for service transformation became more evident. This was a conscious consideration in design of the prototype. This Case Management technology was built with the intention to be configurable in settings and with a design replicable in purpose and outcome across housing management functions (i.e. HR, Maintenance, Tenancy Enforcement).


Mobile workforce Transformation Realised.

‘Due to technological improvements and increased connectivity, mobile networking is becoming even more popular amongst businesses.’

The advancements in technology has not only made mobile devices powerful business tools, but the introduction of video-conferencing, route planning tools and instant messaging, has made it easier for remote workers to communicate and get the information they need for quick on the ground decision making.

Various dashboards and software products aim to help professionals collaborate, for managers to monitor workflow, delegate work amongst team members or external contractors and lead a mobile workforce that’s not centralised in a traditional office.

The Case Management technology, available as a mobile web and a native Android app follows similar objectives as it makes it easier for your workforce to access information remotely. It allows you to access vital customer information to your mobile workforce, which not only empowers them to make timely decisions, but also improves service delivery for customers.

Key Functions

Mobile working, as outlined is a powerful tool for working, there are many key features to Locality’s mobile software to perform more efficiently.

❏ Creating new cases on the move is no longer an issue, in turn with

reviewing and updating existing cases.

❏ Real-time working is essential, enabling users to perform

risk-assessments whenever, wherever.

❏ Viewing reminder, alerts and task whenever needed, there are no

constraints to where you work.

❏ Escalate a case priority level for timely actions, being vital to update other

users of case occurrences


Aims & Benefits

The benefits of a mobile workforce are extensive, users are able to increase their productivity, customer service and have advanced workflow flexibility. In conjunction with these advantages, users regulate a better work/life balance. Therefore, this demonstrates that the popularity surrounding cloud services are just one indicator to show that the mobile workforce is due to become the norm. As both software and hardware evolve, the information technology industry is becoming more capable of helping companies to outsource more diverse tasks.


Risk Assessment Transformation Realised.

‘One of the biggest challenges faced when managing high-risk complex cases is the ability to receive timely information. This is paramount as it ensures successful intervention and prevention of Anti-Social Behaviour and Domestic Abuse.’

By working in isolation, public services and partner agencies lose sight of the wider vulnerabilities. Opportunities for early intervention can be overlooked, this being essential to deliver a proactive service for citizens and communities. Furthermore, public services and partner agencies are universally accepting that information sharing is key, it enables strategic needs assessment and targeted planning of resources.

Pilot projects and proof-of-concept work have started amongst few agencies and local authorities. These practices, which are seen as innovative by the sector, but are resource intensive and time consuming. Some of these practices include daily conference calls to discuss cases, co-working and co-location initiatives where partners from various agencies come together in one place to assess risk.

With the Alerts and Notifications feature, collaborators can be notified electronically via email or text message. Triggered by activities such as case escalation, a new incident occurs or, when a victim’s risk assessment score increases. These are just a few examples of how information can be pro-actively pushed to your collaborators allowing for quicker decision making and cost-time efficiencies.

Key Functions (Security)

❏ Data can be hosted in various data certified centres across the world to fit

your needs and ensures data protection compliance, thus ensuring secure

collaboration of sensitive information. This being compliant with EU Data

Protection by ensuring all data is stored in the UK or EU.

❏ An audit trail facility allows for complete control over data.


❏ Fine grain user controlled permissions and multi-factor authentication for

secured login.

Key Functions (Receiving Timely Information)

❏ Rules can be set up against a case so notifications and alerts are tailored

to your requirements. Collaborators who form part of your multi-agency

team are alerted to login to a single workspace and perform an action.

❏ Reminders can be set for forthcoming or overdue tasks through alerts and

notifications

❏ Triggers and Flags are configurable for each case type so you can tailor

the level of alerts and notifications you receive by the severity of each

case.

❏ Automate subsequent case actions from Alerts and Notifications such as

notifying police via email and text message. Additionally, you can escalate

the case to another collaborator (manager, partner agency, internal staff)

and raise a severity of a case to high, depending on the case type. The

opportunities for automated actions are endless.

The Case Management solution allows you to alert and notify the right information to the right partners to ensure meaningful sharing is undertaken. This reduces the time taken for partner agencies to sift through volumes of data which can have a detrimental impact if vital opportunities for early intervention are missed.


Multi agency working Transformation Realised.

The new Well-being of Future Generations Act has become a key agenda item with public services across Wales. It highlights that information sharing can improve outcomes, focusing on how this sharing of vital information can help to create safer communities.

Pressures are being placed on local government, partner agencies and various public bodies to improve citizen services through a joined up approach of working, the Well-being Future Generations Act sets out to tackle this problem.

In terms of delivering a quality service to the community, the housing sector has seen the most progression through highlighting information sharing as an agenda. When looking at managing complex cases with circumstances of Anti-Social Behaviour, Domestic Violence and the needs of individuals in Supporting People this is especially the case. The Home Office advocates the use of IT Systems to share information between local agencies for a joined up approach to protect and support the most vulnerable in society.

The Well-being of Future Generations Act has identified collaboration and prevention as two key ways public services should be working. Information sharing will be at the heart of this.

Through the Collaboration feature, timely and secure information sharing is enabled for successful multi-agency working within public sector and partner agencies.

Key Functions

❏ A workspace can be created for your teams and partner organisations to

ensure vital information is shared for a more joined-up approach. This is

especially important when dealing with complex high-risk Anti-Social

Behaviour and Domestic Abuse cases.

❏ A 360 view of a person’s case can be gained. To provide better

coordinated and accessible support services to improve outcomes for

customers.

❏ Internal staff or partner agencies can be invited to your workspace

securely to share need to know information. By communicating


incident-related information and identifying risks earlier, this will aid in

early intervention efforts for your customers before risk of harm

increases.

❏ Information can be accessed and uploaded from mobile devices and

shared with authorised parties in just a few clicks. This ensures all

information on your workspace is up to date and delivered in real-time,

allowing for partner agencies to proactively manage cases and support

victims.

❏ Secured instant messaging tools and conference capabilities allow you to

keep in touch with internal teams and external partners remotely.

Public sector is looking to find innovative solutions to reduce costs whilst improving service delivery. A focus on delivering a future-proofed, cost efficient platform to enable greater information sharing between public services and partner agencies who are looking at creating generations of safer communities is essential.


“Not only would I recommend Locality to our partners, we are already exploring where we can adopt this innovative software elsewhere within the business.”

Adrian Barber, Acting CEO, RCT Homes


Appendix One

Rachel Williams

‘Don’t look Back. My Story’

“If the right agencies had been able to act together, this could all have been prevented”


We invited Rachel Williams to speak at CIH’s Annual TAI Conference. TAI is the largest housing conference in Wales, attracting chief executives, directors and heads of housing throughout Wales and the UK. Rachel is a high-profile campaigner for tackling domestic abuse and an ambassador for Welsh Women’s Aid. Rachel has worked with a number of agencies in promoting campaigns she feels purposeful, most recently the Drive Project, an initiative of Respect, SafeLives and Social Finance. Challenging behaviours of perpetrators of domestic abuse, this project is being run in Essex, West Sussex and South Wales.


Rachel spoke to delegates about her personal story as well as her views on the need for effective information sharing between agencies and the role technology must play.

“Services need to share information if we are to see a change in domestic abuse.”

Rachel Williams, TAI 2016


Rachel identified how Case Management technology can facilitate needs-led intervention and evidenced the real-life instance of Yasmins Story. In this case, needs-led intervention could have had a dramatic change in circumstance for Yasmin.

Please visit Women’s Aid for full study https://www.womensaid.org.uk/our-approach-change-that-lasts/


The total fare for Yasmin’s journey is

£2,018,943. With needs-led intervention, the fare for Yasmin’s journey could have been

£13,700.

Suggested Additional Listening

Rachel Williams, Domestic Abuse Campaigner Rachel shares her story on launch of Drive Campaign https://soundcloud.com/locality-solutions


Engagement in the conference was high. Here are some notable responses on social media from attendees :

“Great insight by Rachel Williams on improving the response to domestic abuse. Information Sharing a key” @olliejon “Great 2 share the stand with @locsolutions 2day at TAI16 services need to share information if we are 2 see a difference with domestic abuse” @dontlookback198 “1263 women entered refuge in wales last year, Over 200 were turned away due to lack of capacity How can this be

the case in the 21st century?” @elaineballard

“300 refuges in the whole of the UK, Cynon Taf Housing provides 2 of them. There are 1500 animal shelters.” @michreid2014

“A packed stand for this emotional and fascinating session at the i2i Cymru stand.” @ems_wales

“First Can Do Corner session underway. A full house for our session on domestic abuse.” @garethsankara

“The ‘business case’ for needs-led intervention is clear. Supporting women costs fraction of current pathway.” @michreid2014


https://twitter.com/locsolutions

https://twitter.com/hashtag/TAI16?src=hash

Rachel’s presentation provoked praise and response from Well-Being Future Generations Commissioner Sophie Howe who identified the role of technology in enabling sustainable public services. Issuing a direct challenge to housing providers: “What are you doing on domestic abuse? Just produced a policy or actively helping victims?”

Sophie Howe, Well-Being Future Generations Commissioner


Appendix Two

Personal Stories All stories have been created but are representative of product features & process.

Tania’s Story 38 Humam’s Story 41


Tania’s Story “” The family next door were a nightmare. Last summer, the son threw eggs at my back door. He threw them high up and I couldn’t clean it off. My daughter asked why he did it and he just laughed. His father was laughing too. I have asked the father why his son behaves in this way but he just said he cannot control his children. It got worse. The son, who is 16, threw glass over the fence and it cut my 14-year-old daughter’s thumb. He also threw a brick and winded my 10-year-old daughter, and he threw a brick at my son’s window. Luckily it didn’t break.

I got too scared to let my children play in the garden and hated putting the washing on the line in case the son threw something at me. The family threw water balloons and rubbish over the fence and were shouting and swearing at each other all the time. They locked each other out so someone was always banging and shouting to be let back in. I couldn’t sleep with the worry.


I told the housing association and the housing officer came round. She told me I could go to Victim Support and the police. She sent someone round to clean up the eggs and the police came round to talk to next door. The son came round to apologise, I could not believe it! There has been no more trouble and I feel much safer now. I thought the housing officer handled it really well.

Customer service adviser “”

We recorded the egg-throwing incident on Locality and a housing officer was assigned to the case. Letters to the tenant were generated from the system and a work order was automatically sent to the maintenance team, who visited to remove the eggs. The tenant was offered a referral to Victim Support, which she at first declined but later took up as she was feeling worse. We notified the police and a letter to the perpetrator was automatically generated by the system, asking him to attend an office appointment with the housing officer. He failed to attend and the verbal racial abuse and rubbish throwing continued. Photos of the damage to the property were taken and uploaded to Locality. A risk assessment was updated and shared with collaborators, and Victim Support was added as a collaborator. The police attended both properties and advised the perpetrator that his behaviour had to cease. On a follow-up visit from the housing officer, Tammy reported that the behaviour had stopped and she was happy for the case to be closed. Locality generated a case closure letter and a satisfaction survey for Tammy , and she feels reassured we are here if further problems arise.


Humam’s Story “”

I called Victim Support after suffering hate crime and an assault. It started when I went to the local shop with my children and someone threw a sandal at me. It hit my shoulder and I felt afraid of what they would do next. I have been followed to the mosque and told to ‘go back to Syria’.

The lady from Victim Support called me several times and came to see me. She called the housing association and I told them that the people behind the hate crime were not their tenants but they said they could help anyway. They spoke


to the police hate crime officer and I was offered CCTV. I didn’t think this was needed but I was very grateful the police got involved. Nothing else has happened but I can go back to Victim Support at any time in the future. That is good to know.

Customer service adviser “”

We received a phone call from Victim Support and logged the incident. A housing officer was automatically notified and added to the case to collaborate, and Victim Support was added as a collaborator. Humam advised us that the perpetrators are not Taff tenants. Locality generated a risk assessment and we contacted the police hate crime officer to discuss whether the identity of the perpetrators was known and whether ‘target hardening’ was required at the property. Target hardening was not required as the perpetrators weren’t aware of Humam’s address and the incident had happened away from his home. The police scheduled to follow up with the perpetrators, as their identity was known, and the hate crime officer spoke with the tenant. The case notes were automatically generated for a multi-agency hate crime forum discussion the following week and all agencies were made aware that the police had spoken to the perpetrators. Human agreed to close the case as no further hate crime abuse had happened and he had the right contacts should any incidents occur in future.


Appendix Two

Business Case for Procurement : Case Study

Introduction

RCT Homes utilised an ASB module within their old housing management system for the recording and case management of ASB. This system, though named an ASB Module, was in fact an adapted version of a CSM (Customer Service Module) with a specific set of letters and tasks relevant to ASB, mirroring that of their complaints department.

In February 2014, representatives from their provider attended RCT Homes to obtain customer feedback regarding a number of issues within their suite of products.


❏ Inability to produce an incident schedule for case review purposes. Users

had to go through and print each page, letter, note and incident

individually. In many cases print screen shots had to be taken or

information had to be copied into Word applications in order to produce a

chronological document for review.

❏ The system did not include a workflow feature which made it difficult for a

process of scheduled mandatory and optional tasks to be created and

allocated against a new case or new incident. The users had to manually

work out the dates for task completion to meet SLA’s. Furthermore, there

were no recurring or follow-on tasks to guide users through an ASB case

process.

❏ Without a workflow feature, the system is unable to prioritise work

through a ‘traffic light system’ for users and supervisors who oversee

performance without conducting a detailed case review.

❏ Inability to grade an incident or risk assessment data in a way for the

system to prompt the user to vary their course of action.

❏ Inability to store an incident location, or addresses of complainants and

perpetrators, which limits accuracy and effectiveness of mapping, hot

spotting and information sharing with the police.

❏ Inability to automatically generate letters from tasks when managing

cases.

❏ Inability to search through case notes simply and easily via a search

facility.

❏ Inability to create different tiers of system and information access levels

so only those that had permissions could view and take on specific tasks

or actions on a case. This could not extend further to grant partner

agencies and customers to access the system and gain limited visibility of

case information.

❏ Inability to reliably link cases with other active cases, which makes it

difficult to get a true picture of a perpetrator or victim’s situation.


❏ Inability to reliably link cases with a lead officer making it difficult to

identify officers specifically dealing with a case at any point in time instead

of just being able to review officers currently dealing with a case.

❏ Inability to store multiple file types against a case, limited to word

documents only. This meant various file types are stored in silo in various

places making it difficult to review all of the information in one quick view

against a case.

❏ Lack of dashboards or basic reporting tools to allow users , supervisors

and management to monitor trends, case activities and highlight any

challenges within ASB service delivery.

❏ Lack of mobile solution to support remote working for those staff that

need to be out in the community.

Their provider, a market leader at the time were unable to provide solutions to these issues and stated that as none of their existing clients had provided this feedback, there would be little opportunity to implement these changes in future updates. Staff feedback and a series of case reviews indicated that their old system was unintuitive, overly complicated, time consuming and frustrating to use.

Procurement Through the subsequent procurement process, Locality were able to demonstrate the capacity to resolve all issues identified by RCT Homes with their previous provider. Locality attained a score of 35 out of 35 on the procurement criteria.


Approach A tailored, smooth and agile journey was implemented to meet RCT Homes’ requirements. Existing data from multiple sources was migrated directly into the Case Management Solution, with no loss of data and maintaining accuracy at all times. We welcomed dialogue and collaboration throughout, which provided reassurance to RCT Homes and ensured that expectations were met and exceeded. Through the professional services element of the customer journey, further features were proposed and developed to enable RCT Homes to establish a defined process for tackling ASB.

Solution As a result of our bespoke solution, RCT Homes’ community safety team are now empowered to deliver efficient and seamless provision to service users.

Benefits include:

❏ The production of visible and configurable workflows

❏ Collaboration with key agencies and partners, in real time, with intuitive

and mobile technology

❏ Improved customer satisfaction and reduced administration time, thanks

to automated communication methods such as two-way SMS

❏ Improved reporting



For further information, please contact Ollie John

[email protected]

localitysolutions.co.uk


Documents

The Technological Intervention for Community Safety. · ‘The role of technology in ensuring community safety is essential. It brings with it real solutions and benefits to service