DFG Workshop - Middlesbrough

Driving Change

Shirley Janes

Housing Improvement Manager

County Durham

• 6th largest geographical area nationally

• 185,000 private sector housing

• 51% of private stock is coalfield housing

• 510,000 population (4th largest nationally)

• 22% registered disabled

Background

• Pre 2009 two-tier authority

• 7 District Councils and 1 County Council

• 5 OT Teams sat within the County Council

• 5 HIA’s cover the county

- 2 x in-house

- 3 x Care & Repair

1st April 2009 – Unitary Authority

• Housing work-stream identified DFG as a priority area for change

• Identified a Lead Officer to carry out options appraisal

• Options appraisal recommended one central system for the county

• Lead Officer tasked to implement by the end of May 2009

Challenges

• Intensive work with District Council Officers, OT’s and HIA’s

• Different systems and ways of working• Different relationships between professionals• Different understandings of legislation• 2 HIA’s had large waiting lists• Difference in level of HIA fees• Staff movement

Central System

• Asked for expression of interest from District Council Officers

• Seconded 2 Officers part time to co-ordinate information from Councils and HIA’s

• Meetings with HIA Managers and OT’s to agreement interim arrangements

• Central system commenced on 15th May 2009

Perceived Obstacles

• Waiting lists in Sedgefield and Derwentside

• Initially only CLG funding (Council budgets weren’t approved until October 2009)

• Uncertainty and resistance to change

• Many complaints, mainly from Members

• HIA contracts due to end

• Paediatric assessments contracted out to Health

Developing an Efficient System• Time Limited Project Team established

- Consultant Project Manager

- Housing Lead Officer

- Senior Managers from Adult and Children Services, (Operational and Commissioning)

- Senior Managers from Legal, Finance, HR, Procurement and Audit

• Regional Loans Scheme Project Manager

• Relevant sub-groups included HIA Managers

Project Outcomes• Amalgamated 2 in-house HIA’s and

established Central Improvement Team within existing budget envelope

• A single business model for HIA’s to provide consistency in service delivery

• A single written procedure for staff from clients first contact with Council to works complete

• A single process for complaints across services

• £10k charge on extensions over £15k

Project Outcomes

• A single OT process plus priority criteria and risk assessment process

• 12% HIA fee

• Outline procurement policy

• Set up Mapping Demand & monitoring Caseload group

• Continue cultural change programme – client centred ethos

Benefits

• Clear procedure for staff teams

• Momentum in DFG continued

• Waiting lists addressed

• Same level of service to clients across the county

• Single reporting mechanism

• Interim arrangements drive change

What questions do you have so far?