1. IM&T Governance

• Local Implementation Plan (LIP) for Information for Social Care (IfSC) published as Devon Social Services IM&T Strategy

• Review LIP in line with final published guidance on Electronic Social Care Record (ESCR) and other initiatives.
• Progress IM&T Strategies for each Service Division, in partnership with other agencies where required.

• IfSC Programme Board established to govern Care Management System Project

• Review IM&T governance arrangements in line with Devon Social Services Modernisation Programme.
• Reconstitute IfSC Programme Board to govern directorate-wide projects.
• Introduce Service Division IM&T Boards to govern specific projects.

• PRINCE2 project management methodology utilised to manage all major IM&T projects

• Promote PRINCE2 as the standard approach to project management across the Directorate.

2. IM&T Infrastructure and Training

• Pan-Devon Infrastructure Review concluded in 2002.
• Corporate investment in network capacity improvements secured for sites where justified by a business case.
• System specific links to NHS Net established to facilitate joint working.

• Review network capacity of sites in line with new requirements (e.g. ESCR).
• Ensure IM&T infrastructure is a key component of Devon Social Services accommodation strategy and its partner agencies.
• Introduce a generic solution to NHS Net connectivity.

• New telephony hardware introduced in all sites connected to the 38 network.
• Training in voicemail introduced to support Directorate telephone handling policy

• Liaise with Devon IT Services (DITS) to improve telephony management information available from the 38 network.
• Develop telephony infrastructure training in line with Directorate public access strategy.

• Improved management of Directorate's IM&T procurement.

• Use Intranet to inform staff and improve ordering process.

• Improved management of Directorate's IM&T inventory.

• Work with Business Resources and DITS to improve accuracy and automation of IM&T inventory.

• Improved management of Directorate's Corporate Desktop accounts.
• Preparation for rollout of Windows XP across Directorate.

• Use Intranet to inform staff and improve account management process.
• Complete Windows XP rollout across Directorate.

• Management of Directorate's European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) programme - up to 30 starters per month during 2003.
• Management of DITS technical training Service Level Agreement.

• Develop ICT competency profiles for Social Services staff (including CareFirst accreditation in liaison with System Support Unit.)
• Utilise ECDL and the DITS training SLA to address ICT competency gaps.
• Investigate professional development programme and qualification for IM&T staff.

3. IM&T Systems and Projects

• Phase 1 of project implemented within time and budget constraints.
• Historic data migrated from mainframe system.
• Business processes realigned to CareFirst system for Adult Services and Children's Services.
• System interfaced with corporate financial systems allowing payments for Looked After Children, Adoption Allowances, Residence Orders; payments to and client charges for Residential and Nursing Homes; Fairer Charging compliance for community based services; improved information on Domiciliary Care payments.
• Planning for phase 2 finalised.

Implement plans for phase 2 including:

• Extending payment and service information for Adult community based services e.g. meals, transport, day care (compliant with Fairer Charging);
• Recording preventative Children’s Services, Private Fostering, Children Looked  After outcomes;
• Implementing Climbié Inquiry / Lord Laming Report IM&T requirements;
• Enhancing workflow, work  management tools and management information;
• Feasibility studies for Electronic Social Care Record, direct input by Care Management Staff;
• Develop plans for phase 3 to include requirements for ESCR, Integrated Children’s System (ICS.)

CareSupport

• Phase 1 implemented within time and budget constraints.
• Phase 2 business priorities and funding identified.

• Finalise business processes for Supporting People.
• Integrate system support and change management with procedures for CareFirst.
• Finalise and implement phase 2 requirements.

Adult Services

• Requirements for electronic support of Single Assessment Process (SAP) specified.
• Pan-Devon SAP partnership project initiated, potential suppliers short-listed.
• Implementation of Joint Equipment Service IT system supported.
• Delayed Discharge processes and information requirements implemented.

• Implement electronic support of SAP, assuming full commitment of partner agencies.
• Define requirements for enhancements to domiciliary care system to deliver more flexible work force management, rapid response and intermediate care.
• Define requirements for enhancements to Meals IT system.

• ‘My Life, My Plan’ assessment process implemented.
• Partnership IM&T Board established.
• Partnership IM&T strategy developed.

• Evaluate NHS systems and CareFirst against partnership business requirements.
• Define and implement partnership Information Security policies.
• Evaluate options for meeting partnership infrastructure needs.
• Implement partnership IM&T training policy.

Mental Health Services

• Supported implementation of Protechnic ePEX3, led by the Devon Partnership Trust.
• Invested in additional infrastructure and system licenses to facilitate more integrated partnership working.

• Utilise the partnership Mental Health Information Board as an effective Mental Health IM&T Programme Board.
• Work to ensure DCC requirements are represented in the Mental Health IM&T strategy.
• Work towards integrating ePEX3 and CareFirst.

Children's Services

• The Children with Special Needs IT (CSN IT) System has been implemented across four PCT localities.
• System training, support, data validation and management information functions have been established.
• 150 internet enabled PCs have been allocated to foster care homes, children's homes and care leavers improving IT access for 300 young people in care as part of the '4u2 Access ICT in Devon' scheme.
• A website for Devon's Looked-after Children has been developed in partnership with the Children's Society including interactive features and consultation.
• Caseload Monitoring System designed, developed and tested.

• Implement Internet access to the system to enable parent / carer and remote key-working.
• Ensure that these functions are 'mainstreamed' as part of The Children's Trust initiative.
• Improve guidance on safe use of the internet for young people and their carers.
• Support the existing beneficiaries of the scheme.
• Advise Children's Services on supporting ICT access for young people in care following cessation of funding.
• Work with The Children's Society in developing new site functionality including a local information and sign-posting service.
• Implement Caseload Monitoring System in all localities.
• Ensure it is complemented by caseload activity reports from Care-First.

4. Public Access and e-Government

• Supporting the migration of Information Devon social care pages to content managed website thereby facilitating transactional services.

• Support continued development of and improvements to Information Devon social care pages including enhancements to staff pages.

• Analysis of Directorate's requirements to meet local and national e-government targets.
• First services web-enabled including recruitment and support of foster carers, electronic complaints system.

• Further enable remainder of social care services online or via telephone to meet local and national e-government targets including facilitating online payments and an organisational database incorporating Help-4u, DISC and DISCplus.

• Analysis of current Directorate public access arrangements undertaken and recommendations accepted.
• Survey of telephone volumes and resolution rates undertaken. This was designed to establish baseline information from which progress towards target of 80% resolution at first-point-of-contact could be measured.

• Support implementation of new CRM system in Care Direct.
• Provide business analysis to facilitate pilot of Care Direct as contact centre for Adults' Services.
• Analyse and implement IM&T requirements to changes in public access arrangements and supporting business processes.

• Caldicott improvement programme established and is reporting annually.
• Caldicott Guardian appointed.
• Caldicott and data protection training programme established.
• Overarching information sharing protocol agreed with health agencies and other key partners.
• Service specific information sharing protocols established in key areas of partnership working.
• Maintenance of Directorate Data Protection Register.
• Guidance offered for record access requests.

• Maintain Caldicott improvement programme in line with new legislation and standards including Human Rights Act, Freedom of Information Act, and BS7799.
• Improve training programme in line with new legislative requirements.
• Establish information-sharing protocols for all services provided on a multi-agency basis.
• Improve guidance to staff to ensure compliance with protocols.
• Introduce formal policy and guidance on service user record access requests.