Herefordshire to improve social care with new integrated system
Herefordshire Council is to get its urgently needed social care computer package to replace outdated computer systems and improve its service to the most vulnerable members of the community. The council's cabinet has approved (Thursday 21 February) an investment of £2.47 million over four years after it had been scrutinised by the council's strategic monitoring committee last month (31 January 2008).
Councillors upheld the recommendation to replace the eleven-year old system that is struggling to meet unprecedented demands as the number of older people needing help in the county soars.
The new Corelogic software system - which is used by 24 other local authorities in the country - will enable social care workers to accurately, quickly and simply share vast amounts of electronic information to make better informed judgements about individual care needs, whilst monitoring performance against set standards in order to improve service.
The cabinet heard that data security measures were included in the package and the council's ICT division has recently achieved accreditation to ISO 27001, which is the international information security standard. To answer previous concerns, cabinet were assured that the new system will be able to be used by employees in the council's antiquated Bath Street premises in Hereford, and there was sufficient capacity in the information links to the council's data centre at Plough Lane, Hereford.
An assessment panel of 32 staff from the council's adult and children social care services, finance and the primary care trust scored demonstrations from several potential providers before Corelogic was chosen as the preferred option. Visits to other local authorities took place to see the system in action. Neighbouring Worcestershire County Council was particularly positive in its experience of Corelogic. It had used the same system as Herefordshire, which dates from the time the two authorities were one council until the creation of Herefordshire County Council in 1998.
The new Corelogic system is expected to be in place by the summer of 2008.
