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Part 4 - Strategic & Corporate Services

4.4 Public Information

1. Achievements 2001- 2004 and Key Actions for 2004/05

What we have achieved through the Strategic Programme (2001-2004)     

Actions to Improve Performance (2004 - 2005)

1. Identify public need for Information

New Public Information & Communication Section established, including 6 Local Information Officers, one per NHS Primary Care Trust.

 Induct new officers and establish new way of working strategically in this area.

2. Establishment signs
All local drop-in offices re-branded to match DCC corporate image. First set of service provision outlets re-branded. Continue to re-brand service provision outlets.
Local agreement in place for corporate sign production by Industrial Services Group. Re-brand joint agency offices to reflect new DCC / NHS working arrangements.

3. Reception areas

Audit carried out to ensure drop-in offices meet standards set in Public Information Guidelines.

New Local Information Officers must audit all reception area arrangements and make recommendations for sustainable improvements.

4. Public information in special needs formats and languages other than English

Sustained production of full range of special needs formats on-demand.

Basic Social Services leaflet 'Social Services in Devon Explained' (Ref. 1) published in Devon's eight community languages.

All drop-in offices have been provided with text-phones and both reception area and portable induction loops.

 New Local Information Officers must spread awareness of special needs formats and translations amongst Social Services and partnership staff.

5. Service user involvement

Relevant local consultation groups used for development of public information, e.g. Living Options and Devon Link magazine, Carers Conference and Carers Information Pack.

Increase service user involvement in production of public information, using Local Information Officers to liaise with local consultation groups alongside central consultation processes.

6. Printed literature for the public

Majority of services covered by plain English leaflet.

Some joint publishing established, quality standards integrated into all service leaflets.

7. Displays and exhibitions

Ongoing use across county of display materials produced using DCC corporate image.

Local Information Co-ordinator to run displays service in conjunction with Local Information Officers.

8. Internet publishing

(see also 4.9 new Strategic Objectives)

Social Services website developed to match latest structural and partnership developments. All services listed online.

Local Care Direct Devon website set up as part of overall Social Services site.

9. Website Migration

Entire Social Services website migration to template-based content management system

All Social Services web pages must be migrated to DCC's new Anite content management system using Obtree templates. 'Core' pages were migrated by December 2003; partnership pages must have been migrated by December 2004.

10. Online Transactional Services
Range of transactional services developed on Social Services part of the DCC website.

Selected social care services must be 'e-enabled' using the Anite transactional website facilities. Service areas identified include Help-4u, referral / enquiries / complaints / general communications, fostering and adoption self-assessment and possibly the Joint Equipment Service catalogue.

11. Public Access Strategy - public information component. Pilot use of Care Direct call-centre for adults social care calls.
Support development of Social Services element of DCC's corporate Public Access Strategy. Devon County Council has a PSA target to improve access to all services and resolve 80% of calls at first point of contact by December 2005. Whilst recognising we will not be able to resolve this percentage of social care calls, the number resolved must be significantly increased to support the wider corporate target.

2. Medium Term Strategy to 2008

  • Support SMG and Operational Divisions in the implementation of the Directorate's Modernisation Programme.
  • Establish and sustain local and central links with partners to identify public information needs together and to ensure awareness of need for effective partnership branding.
  • Update reception area section of Social Services Public Information Guidelines into comprehensive partnership arrangements that all agencies adhere to.
  • Develop links with partners to ensure they are aware of special needs formats and translations work, so they can participate in joint production of relevant information.
  • Ensure Public Information Section has regular access to full range of user and carer consultation networks.
  • Develop leaflet review groups into partnership projects organised on relevant client group and geographical bases.
  • Engage partners in production of joint display material, centrally and locally.
  • Migrate all webpages to 'Obtree' templates (core by Dec 2003, partner pages by Dec 2004), work with corporate e-govt implementation team and 'Anite' to develop online transactions, support Devon Portal development and offer partners use of our web publishing platform whenever possible.
  • Work with DCC's corporate e-govt implementation team, Anite and Obtree to migrate all webpages to templates as part of content management system/ to develop online transactional capability. Share developments with partner agencies.
  • Participate in development of DCC's emergent Public Access Strategy by determining social care element of improved access arrangements.

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