Benchmarking Conference 2008.
Visual Impairment Benchmarking: so, what's next?
Presented by Phil Stevens, Director of Wales Council for the Blind.
Where are we now?
- V.I. Benchmarking proven to be a useful tool in developing services.
- Mapped understanding of where services are developed, and best practice guidelines available.
- Where it’s been fully used, it’s helped services improve.
- But.....
Challenges to Benchmarking.
- Sector has many demands on time
- It’s not in use everywhere - not compulsory
- Is it led on by commissioning teams or operational services?
- And if it is used, just ‘benchmarking’ doesn’t improve services on it’s own – it takes a bit more.
So where do we go?
- Any further developments have got to consider the following:
- Any further response needs resources attached – staff, cash and experience
- Some Authorities need more help than others
- The future has to be consensual and universal
So lets make some basic assumptions about the next phase....
The whole point of this is to improve lives through better services.
Local Authorities have little money to develop services.
- Not every Local Authority has specialised Commissioners
- 9 out of 22 Authorities see V.I. services designed and/or contracted by Commissioners –working separately from operational teams.
- V.I. understanding is mixed in commissioning teams.
Joint Reviews drive performance change.
Golden fact: If a Joint Review identifies the need for improvement, it improves.
Enter solutions...
1. Carry on using Benchmarking Tool ‘as is’.
Response – evolution will overtake it
- Unlikely to produce more results
- Without central guidance on use, existing non-users are unlikely to adopt it.
2. Use WAG or an agent to force LA’s to spend more on V.I. Services.
Response – Let’s be honest. They’re broke.
3. Embed the Benchmarking Tools in to the Joint Review.
Response: Great... another big stick to use.
- Not consensual working.
- Still lack of expertise in developing services.
- Doesn’t address capacity.
4. Produce an extensive resources on V.I. Commissioning for Sector
Response: Guides like this are published every week by someone or other.
....they rarely get used.
So here’s an idea....
1. WCB becomes stakeholder in the Joint Review.
- We use networks of users, local agencies, societies, and staff to undertake the V.I. review
- We use Benchmarking as starting point.
- We’d bring specialist service knowledge to the review
But we don’t just use Review as a stick....
2. Consensually produces Action Plan as outcome.
- WCB works with the Authority to plan a full service response to Review.
- It identifies funding and resources.
- WCB develops local Societies where needed as solution providers.
3. Service Implementation Plan produced.
- Each Authority gets bespoke action plan, drawn together by all stakeholders
- WCB works with local sector to monitor and assist in it’s delivery
- Annual ‘health check-ups’ undertaken so Authority knows what next Review might say
Why this approach?
Remember the slide about the challenges of benchmarking?
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Sector has many demands on time
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WCB helps
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Not compulsory
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This would be
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Confusion over Commissioning or Operational
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Both, neutrally facilitated by outsider Agency
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Just ‘benchmarking’ doesn’t improve services on it’s own
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This is more than benchmarking – it’s practical
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Summary.
- A natural succession to the Benchmarking process.
- Innovative partnership model between WAG, 3rd Sector and Authorities
- Unique- WCB won’t have conflict of interest
- WCB has good relations with each stakeholder
- Delivers practically in developing sector, not just guidelines.
- Develops local societies
- Cuts across WCB work - rehabilitation, specialist social worker, best practice
- Above all, it improves service delivery across Wales for V.i. clients.