
East Sussex County Council improve adult social care services

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Results & ROI
• Appointment dates and times now provided at the point of initial contact resulting in an 88% reduction in chaser calls
• One process for all service users and carers to access assessment and support
• More timely provision of funding for people with identified eligible needs
• Face-to-face ACM (active care management) assessment taking place within 7 days (previously could take up to 28 days)
The client
The Adult Social Care (ASC) department at East Sussex County Council provide care and support to adults and their carers to ensure they can live as independently as possible. They also help those not entitled to support by signposting them to agencies that can. The council sought an alternative model to deliver their Adult Social Care Services by working as efficiently and effectively as possible without compromising service quality whilst achieving £1million savings.
The challenge
To achieve these aims, the ASC department decided to embark on a transformation project using Lean Thinking. This transformation project would also inform a departmental workforce re-design regarding skill mix, roles and responsibilities, and management and staffing structures. The project had very clearly defined objectives focusing on delivering a more streamlined, efficient and person centred service whilst enabling the Lean approach to be evaluated for future use across the wider organisation.
The approach
The benefits
- Information Centres and regular briefings have improved information sharing and reducing dependence on email updates
- 5S roll-out has reduced stationery costs and improved use of equipment and workspace
- Greater equity of access across service areas (Occupational Therapy, Sensory and ACM) by standardising process for service users / carers to access assessment and support
- Significant improvement in the quality of support plans