This snapshot, taken on 01/10/2007, shows web content selected for preservation by The National Archives. External links, forms and search boxes may not work in archived websites.
Giving the customer access to information
One of the key improvements brought in by the UK Passport Service was to open up the lines of communication with customers. 'One of the things the organisation recognised we weren't doing well was communicating with people when they phone up about their passports,' says Christine Nickles, Head of Communications.
The result of that was a new call centre which opened in Spring 2000 and which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Callers can get general information or even begin an application. If a customer wants to know about the progress of an application, centre staff will put them through to the local office staff, who can answer their questions. You can also email a query through the website with a guaranteed reply within four hours.
'This access to information is very important to customers because people are making travel plans all the time, and of course you can get an emergency at any time,' says Christine. 'If you are working it is difficult to get the time to call in the day, and we know the demand is there because even on Christmas Day a couple of hundred people called us.'
The operation of the call centre is contracted to an outside organisation, which has the flexibility to increase the size of the team in response to peaks in demand.
Want to know more? Contact: Christine Nickles, Head of Communication
Tel. 020 7901 2470, Email: christine.nickles@ukpa.gsi.gov.uk
'We are a very open practice and we believe in keeping patients informed - we don't hide anything,' says Maureen Price, the Business Manager of Dr Kenyon and Partners in Coventry. 'We go beyond the norm in what we inform people about.'
This busy inner-city practice produces a regular quarterly newsletter, Surgery Snippets, which provides patients with interesting, informative and easy-to-digest information about new initiatives such as new clinics or newly appointed staff. The newsletter also keeps patients informed of any action taken by the surgery's innovative Patient Participation Panel (see 'How can we actively involve our service users?') and a Practice Charter, video 'Health Channel', booklets and numerous leaflets ensure full information on all services is readily available.
Instead of the usual practice of posters stuck on walls, surgery staff carefully plan 3D displays on important health topics. 'For example, we have recently had a display about the cancer support group Bacup, and every year we have a display about the 'flu vaccine for older patients, so it actually hits you in the eye when you come in,' explains Maureen.
'We inform patients on how much operations costs in the NHS - we have a skeleton in reception and every so often we will change it for example to illustrate hip operations,' Maureen adds. 'We also tell patients what the practice is spending on drugs month by month. Information like that, which patients don't normally have access to, can help inform their own decisions about their care.'
Want to know more? Contact: Maureen Price, Business Manager
Tel. 02476 516925, Email: maureen.price@gp-m86015.wmids.nhs.uk
Informing the public about the work of the Dyfed and Powys Police Force is a challenge because of the enormous area covered by the force - half a million people, over an area some 160 miles long. The force has increased public awareness of its work through its own website, posters in Police Stations, and summary information on how much the police service costs which is sent out to all households with the council tax demands. The Chief Constable and Police Authority joint annual report is produced in a tabloid newspaper format and sent to every home in the area; in addition, the force produces a summary of the policing plan as an A5 booklet which is freely available in police stations, leisure centres, libraries and other local authority buildings.
The general public are well informed on the services, how they are run, who is in charge, how much they cost and whether or not the force is achieving all the standards it has set. A wide range of information is provided, which is either delivered to every household in the area or easy to obtain. All publications are available in Welsh and English and language interpreters are employed to help in situations where users, particularly detainees, are not able to understand Welsh or English.
Strategy and Planning Officer Paul Morris says: 'All our public documents are produced in Welsh and English. We publish our Best Value Performance Indicators as a double-page spread in the regional newspaper, the Western Mail. We list all the indicators in comparison with Welsh forces and against our own targets so people can make an informed judgment on how we are performing.'
Want to know more? Contact: Paul Morris, Strategy and Planning Officer
Tel. 01267 226638, Email: paul.morris@dyfed-powys.pnn.police.uk