Effective and Appropriate Sharing of Information (EASI): workforce development materials for improved multi-agency public service delivery

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

This project uses social science research from the University of Bradford and Leeds Metropolitan University to develop a new training programme for people delivering public services, such as social workers, nurses, doctors, police officers and teachers. The training is to improve how information about members of the public is shared between the different organisations that provide services. It supplements (rather than replaces) existing training on information sharing and is different because it uses the findings from social science research to help professionals think in new ways about how they share information about members of the public.People working to deliver public services are required to work with the personal information of all of us who use those services. In many cases this is sensitive information, given in confidence, and professionals must take care to protect our data. At the same time, they are being asked to improve services by working more closely with their counterparts in other organisations, passing more information between them. This means there is less chance that members of the public will feel as though they are being passed from one service to another when they need help and also that there will be less likelihood of 'falling through the cracks' between services. Collaboration can lead to more efficient services because some duplication can be avoided. In addition, by working together, professionals are more likely to spot when children and vulnerable adults are at risk of harm because they can see all the different pieces of the jigsaw puzzle rather than just the one piece they would see otherwise. Decisions about whether and when to share information, are not always straightforward. There is legislation and guidance available to help steer public service workers to the right outcome but every situation is different and despite all the existing guidance and training available, professionals can still struggle to know what to do for the best. The training created by this project aims to help professionals share information well, improving the services received by the public in the process.The project researchers will create the training programme and will work with the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council and an existing national project, called Improving Information Sharing and Management, to test it (probably in Bradford, Manchester and Leicestershire). The training programme and materials will be revised as a result of feedback from the trainees. Once finalised, the documentation will be made freely available and its use will be tracked so evidence on the benefits can be gathered.The programme is expected to consist of two one-day training sessions, three to four weeks apart. This allows course participants to apply what they have learnt in their first session to their daily working lives, knowing that they will be able to bring any queries back to the second session (in which reflections on changes to professional practice will be shared). This structure means that what has been learned is less likely to be forgotten and also that if there are real-life situations the training could not help with, relevant revisions can be made to. The project will create all the materials needed, based on findings from social science research previously undertaken by the project researchers. New ideas will be presented that have never been used in this kind of training before which should help professionals to improve their practice, leading to:- improved, more 'joined up', and more trusted public services- better protected personal and sensitive data- better value for money (through reduced duplication across services and more effective services)In the long term, through contributing to improved service quality and efficiency, the project should have a positive impact on the health and well-being of the nation.