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Waving, or drowning? Tackling performance in local authority social services
- Author:
- BARNES Julie
- Journal article citation:
- Research Policy and Planning, 22(3), 2004, pp.61-69.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
In 2003, the Department of Health (DH) commissioned a literature review to identify effective factors for achieving successful change and improved performance in 'failing' local authorities. Drawn from a range of public and private sector sources, the review examines the nature of failure, the characteristics of success, the complexities of moving from one to the other and some common themes for improving organisation in crisis. This paper describes, some of the key messages from that literature, focusing on organisational 'turnaround' in poorly performing organisations. It explores some of the latest thinking about tackling poor performance; concludes that innovation may be the most effective way to achieve sustainable change and considers how an approach called Appreciative Inquiry might be used in social services and council settings.
Developing and implementing a local performance measurement system in older people's services
- Authors:
- CLARKSON Paul, CHALLIS David
- Journal article citation:
- Research Policy and Planning, 20(3), 2002, pp.3-16.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
Summarises work in developing and implementing a local performance measurement system within older people's services, drawing on work undertaken by the Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU). Difficulties in developing such systems include central government demands for data that are not always appropriate to local concerns, technological problems and problems with interpretation. The work attempted to confront these difficulties by outlining a model of the most important domains for monitoring, devising a suite of indicators to comment on organisational objectives and using comparative analysis to formulate questions concerning key areas of variation. The system offers a number of benefits and focused implementation can overcome difficulties and increase co-operation from staff.
Who - me? Managing performance management: the West Midlands ADSS Benchmarking Club
- Authors:
- MERRET Paul, ADAMS Simon
- Journal article citation:
- Research Policy and Planning, 20(1), 2002, pp.30-32.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
The success, or otherwise, of central government initiatives to improve the quality of social care services will, in large measure, be determined by the extent to which the local authority social services function embraces the 'Personal Social Services Performance Assessment Framework' introduced by the Department of Health in 1999. Developing tools and techniques to bridge the divide between this strategic imperative and service activity at an operational level can make a significant contribution to the development and implementation of a performance management culture.
What do you need to know? Lessons from Joint Reviews for knowledge workers in Social Services
- Author:
- DAVIS Lloyd
- Journal article citation:
- Research Policy and Planning, 17(3), 1999, pp.1-12.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
This paper examines the lessons from Audit Commission/SSI Joint Reviews specifically for Research, Information and Planning staff in Local Authority Social Services. There are many things that most authorities need to know better. They need to know more about people entering the system, what works for those people, how much services cost and how they can ensure value for money. The most important message is that what you need to know, is what you need to know. That is, that local authorities can improve the management of their social services by deciding what they want social services to achieve and how they will measure how well they are achieving. Local authorities do not do this, central government will. In its proposals for a performance assessment framework, DH is doing just that. Local authorities need to be pro-active in ensuring that central government understands how local priorities fit into performance management. One of the keys to success in research, information and planning will be working with others. Dissemination of research findings and initiatives that have worked is vital, and there are opportunities for data collection reviews to be made more easily available to local authority information staff.
Change in social services
- Author:
- LEWIS R.J.
- Journal article citation:
- Research Policy and Planning, 16(2), 1998, pp.13-15.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
Looks at the recent changes that have influenced the way in which local authorities and social services operate. The author looks specifically at Best Value; the issue of choice for service users; the independent sector; new patterns of service delivery in relation to commissioning or purchasing decisions and the provision of services; and the development of joint reviews.
Customer expectations of service quality at community team offices
- Author:
- WILLIS Martin
- Journal article citation:
- Social Services Research, 4, 1996, pp.57-67.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
Looks at a project to prepare, pilot and finalise a questionnaire for Wolverhampton Social Services Department which aimed to analyse customer views on the service they received in social services community team offices.
Health and social care needs in the community for people with HIV/AIDS
- Authors:
- BEBBINGTON Andrew, WARREN Pat, RICKARD Wendy
- Journal article citation:
- Social Services Research, 4, 1995, pp.26-42.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
Reports the findings of a survey to assess services for people with HIV and AIDS conducted in 1992 in the area of the South East London Health Authority. Explains how the methodology was devised, what was found about access, use, satisfaction and gaps in health and social care. Finally the article discusses the policy implications of these findings, focusing on the effect of new funding arrangements on user choice, integration of services and specialisation.
Performance evaluation in social services: a framework for a balanced approach
- Author:
- McGOUGH L.P.
- Journal article citation:
- Social Services Research, 4 1993, 1993, pp.19-40.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
Gives the history of performance evaluation and refers to its links with politics. Provides different models of performance evaluation and asks why, given the many difficulties facing those who are to carry out performance evaluation in the public sector, it has never been abandoned. A framework for performance evaluation set out and the perspectives of the stakeholders involved in the evaluation process: service users, professional staff, and the managers are discussed. The article goes on explain how the framework can be put into practice.
Performance measurement in personal social services
- Authors:
- BARNES Marian, MILLER Nick
- Journal article citation:
- Research Policy and Planning, 6(2), 1988, pp.1-47 (whole issue).
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
Developed from SSRG workshops, offers a working definition of performance measurement, performance measurement within SSDs and external initiatives to strengthen performance measurement, and the role of the Wagner Report and the Griffiths Report. Key characteristics of performance measurement in the personal social services are developed, and a model outlined. Two case studies, relating to services for older people and services to people with a mental handicap, are used to demonstrate performance measurement strategies, with detailed tabulations of measures.