NTHS Vol:8(3) pp29-30 1995
Managing Social Services Information is a module
in the Management Education Scheme by Open Learning programme, developed
under the auspices of the NHS Training Division and the Social Services
Inspectorate. Published by the Open University 1994, ISBN 1 85446 271
7.
The Pack may be purchased from:
The Learning Materials Sales Office,
The Open University,
PO Box 188,
Walton Hall,
Milton Keynes MK7 6DH
UK
Normal price £1 60 + VAT. Price for Social and Health
Service Organisations (independent, voluntary or statutory) or educational
institutions involved in providing courses for staff from these £115 +
VAT.
Colin Barnes is a project manager
(practitioner inputting to computer development in the Social Services
Department, Coventry City Council.
Contact him at:
Coventry City Council Social Services
Department,
Room SS.17 Council House
Coventry, CV] 5RS
UK
Internet: barnes@a-dark.demon.co.uk
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Managing Social Services Information
Reviewed by Colin Barnes
Presentation:
The course material comes in a smart plastic case
which contains:
- A Guide to the Module 2 audio cassettes,
- Four books of sessions with exercises to develop
competencies,
- Computer discs (with 'hands on' personal computing
supplement)*; this software requires the student to have access to the
Microsoft Works package (Ver. 3),
- A Resource File (for use with some of the exercises),
- A Resource Book (on presenting and analysing data),
- A Portfolio Guide (all the student needs to prepare
a body of evidence about standards of her/his performance at managing
information), Guidelines for mentors*,
(All but the material indicated *
has been developed specifically for Social Services' managers. The * material
appears to be more general in its coverage and uses example data from
health settings)
Comments:
The main finding from the recent SSI inspection of
information strategies in Social Services departments was that managers
were not confident about their department's information strategy and systems.
The inspectors report that to achieve effective information systems requires
'champions' throughout the department, particularly among senior staff
(Dept. of Health, 1995).
The SSI inspectors wish to encourage the development
of an 'information culture' which will require Social Services staff training
on the use of information within their respective roles and responsibilities
in the delivery of community care services. They would certainly want
to encourage managers to undertake training of the sort included in this
module which is now available from the 'Open Business School' (one of
six modules which, together, constitute the course work for a diploma
in management).
How, then, does it match up to the recommendation
in the inspector's report that:
'Training should not be exclusively technical.
It should relate the need to collect and use information to staff's
roles and responsibilities'?
It is clear from the onset that, although the module
has grown out of existing courses for managers in health services, extensive
efforts have been made to 'customise' the material to that which Social
Services managers will see as relevant to their day-to-day needs. Examples
of calculations are based upon analyses of data about phenomena such as
the numbers of children on child protection registers or numbers of residential
places for people with disabilities. The material, for example, not only
conveys the 'nitty gritty' of how to interpret standard deviations and
similar mathematical functions, but, by using demonstration data such
as 'waiting times' for users before they receive a service, it fires the
student's imagination about how to use statistical techniques to make
an immediate impact on monitoring service delivery.
This approach is reinforced by the part of the module
which seeks to help the user develop a 'portfolio' of material to reflect
the evidence of information management tools being used in the managerial
job the user normally undertakes. The portfolio work is integrated with
the rest of the course and several of the exercises, when completed contribute
toward the evidence which the student is required to compile.
The exercises are designed to incorporate 'live'
information from whatever information systems are in place at the student's
place of work. An example of the thought which has gone into the design
of the package are the 'activity previews' which give prior warning of
material which is needed later in the course. These allow the student
to approach the course work in the sequence most conducive to acquiring
the necessary skills.
There are occasional indications within the package
that it has developed from one designed for managers of health services.
An example is that it is somewhat limited in the list of references it
provides. Those that there are will not lead the student toward the specialist
literature about IT as applied to Social Welfare. There are no references
to journals such as 'Computer Use in Social Services' or 'New Technology
in the Human Services' or any links to organisations such as the European
Network for Information Technology in Human Services (ENITH). Instead
the student is, more often than not, directed to further reading from
the field of general management of health services.
Although it is not mentioned in the documentation
Fastype, a 'share ware' typing tutor, is included with the course
software. This was probably not a good idea as it did not work properly
with early versions of DOS. A failure to get the software working could
be an unnecessary negative encounter with the PC for someone who may have
had little previous experience of using one. The inclusion of the typing
tutor, without any guidance in the documentation, might also lead a student
to believe that competence at touch-typing is a necessary skill for information
management.
On the other hand, the main computer
software for use within the exercises is the English edition of Microsoft
Works (version 3 is recommended). This is not included within the course
material and so the student needs to be able to obtain this software and
a machine on which to install it before doing some of the course work.
Despite this extra task for the student (or her/his tutor), the advantage
of being guided through a real sophisticated integrated suite of software
is worthwhile. I am confident that, although the example data supplied
to provide a basis for the exercises is very simple, once one has worked
on this for a few hours the student will be ready to use applications
for data from her/his routine work. Indeed, the straightforward and very
readable text (which is very well illustrated) is Rely to create an enthusiasm
for managers to want to immediately translate their information problems
into scenarios for managerial action.
Conclusions:
I believe that there are two groups of managers in
Social Services both of which could benefit from this package. There are
those who have found themselves promoted into managerial positions without
ever having had the opportunity to deal with aggregated data with any
degree of sophistication and would like to understand this alongside the
other managerial skills of financial controls and person management. The
other group (which may, even, include some information managers) are those
more experienced managers who need to take a fresh look at how to make
better use of modem technological solutions for the fast changing world
of UK Social Services in the 'Community Care' era.
References:
Social Services Department Information Strategies
and Systems (with reference to Community Care); Inspection Overview',
Department of Health August. 1995.
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