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Introducing the Veterans Welfare Service (VWS) – Future Service Delivery (FSD) Project
Did you know that for the past 18 months the VWS FSD Project Team based at Norcross has been investigating different ways to improve the way VWS delivers its business? If not, this article aims to provide you with a brief overview of the work that has been achieved to date and recognises the challenges that lie ahead
Background
VWS staff currently work from bases throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland. This office accommodation is leased from Other Government Departments (mainly DWP) and private landlords. These leases are expensive and complex to manage. In addition, the VWS has an individual IT support system (WSCS) at each of these sites, which causes national inconsistencies and reliability issues, prohibiting the introduction of alternative working practices.VWS senior managers have long believed that there is potential to:
- rationalise the organisational shape of the VWS;
- reduce its estate ‘footprint’;
- improve its business systems and processes; and consequently
- enhance the quality of the service it delivers to its customers.
The Project and the Project Team
In Nov 07, the VWS FSD Project Team was set-up to explore this further. A Business Case and Investment Appraisal were developed which considered a number of options. On 31 Jul 08 the Agency Management Group (AMG) endorsed the approach recommended in the Business Case and authorised the Project to enter into formal consultation with the Trade Unnions (TUS). This was initiated on 27 Aug 08 and completed on 21 Oct 08. The Project Team is now implementing the agreed option.
So what changes will take place in the VWS?
Although the role and responsibility of the VWS will not change, the aspiration is to improve customer service whilst at the same time rationalise the IT system and estate footprint. The key changes to the organisational structure of the VWS include:
- Replacing the existing offices with five Veterans Welfare Centres (VWCs), located within existing SPVA/MOD accommodation. Each VWC will act as a first point of contact for welfare delivery, providing professional help, advice and guidance over the phone; Welfare Officers working from either their home, a VWC or from a satellite office within existing MOD accommodation. This will reduce the estate footprint and will ensure a VWS presence at all key SPVA and other MOD sites; and
- Replacing the existing IT (WSCS) with an improved national IT system (VWCS). This will provide greater flexibility for the business as work can be dealt with from any of the five VWC’s and improvements in access to information for staff i.e. HRMS and Defence Intranet will be made.
Looking Ahead
The main objective of the Project Team is to plan, manage and initiate the full implementation phase of the Project in accordance with the agreed rollout schedule. Phase 1 is planned for 7 Sep 09 with the rollout of the Norcross VWC and the following offices; Preston, Manchester, Bootle, Leeds will close, with Belfast and Dublin as satellite offices and with a homeworker in Cork. The remaining phases will rollout January to March 2010.Project Board Meetings and Checkpoint Meetings are held monthly with all key stakeholders to ensure all essential elements of the project i.e. accommodation, IT, HR, telephony and training are identified and in place prior to rollout.
For further information please contact the Project Team on 01253 333064. A new intranet site is being developed to keep you up to date with the projects progress. Keep a look out for announcements in “What’s New”.
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