Agenda item

30.1     The Chair of the Review Board, Councillor Penny di Cara, introduced the Review Board’s report on the findings and recommendations of the Review. The Review Board was established by the Committee in July 2022 to look at the Department’s plans to encourage more people to use digital and self-service methods when they contact and transact with the Department, and use its services. The Review had looked at the digital services currently in place in ASCH, the extent to which they were used and cultural and behavioural changes that could lead to greater use of them, focusing particularly on the service areas of financial assessments; reviews (especially carer reviews); information, advice and signposting; and carer assessments.

30.2     Overall, the Review Board were impressed by the work underway and the balanced approach the Department was taking to increasing the use of digital and self-service options. While the Department knew there were benefits to increasing digital options, the Review Board was reassured to hear that alternative options and routes for contacting the Department (e.g. via phone or in person) would remain for those who needed them. The Review Board found the Department was adapting and improving its approach to use of digital and technology in response to feedback and consideration of best practice. The Review Board had made recommendations that were practical, built on the good work underway, and were focussed on supporting increased use of the Department’s digital offer.

30.3     Councillor Wendy Maples, Member of the Review Board, added that the Review Board had considered both the theory behind, and practical examples of, behavioural change as part of the Review; and that the final recommendation - that the Department explore the benefits of introducing a digital ambassador scheme - was an opportunity for the Department to explore the value of a practical approach to encouraging behaviour change. Councillor Nuala Geary, Member of the Review Board, also commented in support of the work taking place that the Review had heard about. The Review Board thanked all the witnesses for their contributions and officers for all their work on the Review. 

30.4     The Chair thanked the Members of the Review Board for their work and the introduction provided. The Committee welcomed the report and, in discussing it, asked questions and made comments on the following areas:

·                     Assistance with using digital platforms – a question was asked on what support (e.g. coaching) was available for users who may be new to, or less familiar with, digital services. The Director of Adult Social Care and Health responded that while it may be possible to incorporate an element of support with using the Council’s digital applications into visits to people with care needs who were known to the Council, the Department would also need to look at how it could draw on broader offers for improving digital literacy, including from other services and agencies. The Assistant Director Planning, Performance and Engagement added that the Department would continue to work closely with the One Council Digital Inclusion Programme which undertook a range of work to increase digital inclusion and promote support that improved access to digital services in the County.

·                     Language and accessibility – a question was asked on whether the language used on the ASCH webpages was sufficiently accessible, particularly for people who may be less familiar with technology or for people with English as an additional language. The Chair of the Review Board responded that the Review had considered the role of both language and literacy, and identified that these could be potential barriers to people using digital options. The Director also recognised this but assured the Committee that ASCH’s webpages, including the new Cost of Living webpages, were tested on volunteers in the People Bank to ensure the language used was understandable and accessible to residents who did not have expert or technical knowledge.

In terms of translations, the Director responded that there were options and ways to translate information on the ASCH webpages but recognised careful work was needed to ensure the information remained accurate once translated. It was noted that the accuracy of translation tools had already improved a lot, and could be expected to continue to improve as translation technology itself improved. The Assistant Director added that the Department had a dedicated Equality and Inclusion Team which had good links to ethnic minority communities across East Sussex and ensured that they had the opportunity to shape and inform design of ASCH’s work, including its digital offer.

·                     Design and usability – assurance was also sought that expertise on design and usability was sought when designing ASCH’s digital tools. The Assistant Director confirmed that resource had been invested by the Department to ensure ASCH’s digital offer was designed, from the outset, in a way that was accessible and easy to use. Digital forms and tools were also tested with different groups for usability.

·                       Limitations of digitisation – Members of the Committee felt that there would be some limitations to a ‘digital by default’ approach, namely in delivery of self/ digital care assessments, and had concerns that not all residents would necessarily be able to self-serve. Members of the Committee therefore felt it was important that alternative routes for contacting and accessing services remained for those who needed them. Councillor Maples, as a Member of the Review Board, assured the Committee that the Board had considered with the Department the limitations to digital services, particularly noting that some demographic groups more likely to require social care (such as people with disabilities or older people) may be limited in their ability to use digital options. As part of this the Review Board had noted that often the people who would be completing ASCH’s digital forms and applications would be carers of those requiring social care. For this reason the Review had noted the importance of good, inclusive design for making it as easy, quick and appealing as possible for carers, who already had limited time, to contact and apply for support from ASCH digitally.

·                     Support for the Review – taking account of the comments above, Members of the Committee supported the Review Report and the Department’s planned direction of travel.

30.5     The Director thanked the Review Board for their work on this area, as their questioning and challenge had been very useful for helping shape the future work of the Being Digital Programme.

30.6     The Committee RESOLVED to agree the Scrutiny Review report and its recommendations, and to receive six and twelve month monitoring updates on the Review.