NTCA Future Service Delivery – April 2022 Onwards
We are currently changing the Citizens Advice service delivery and this is our latest version of our plans.
What happened last year?
- Overall client contacts were consistent compared to the last two years, but the amount of work per client – issues, phone calls, emails – all increased
- Demand for telephone work continued to rise as a proportion of our overall clients
- Debt among clients – both in amount and number of issues – increased significantly year-on-year
- Client experience stayed broadly consistent despite these increased service demands
Total client numbers last year were similar to the two years before.
Total number of clients contacting our services was unchanged, but now we do more work per client.
- There were more issues, (problems), per client – 92,682 issues overall compared to 75,540 the previous year; averaging 5 issues per client instead of 4
- More telephone calls, including incoming, outgoing and follow ups – 41,228 compared to 34,605
- We did fewer ‘Quick contacts’ where a client is just signposted or gets a leaflet – these went down more than 50% from 558 to 210
- More emails, including outgoing and follow ups – 21,278 compared to 18,696
Most of our client demand has shifted to telephone, with email also forming a significant part.
Our percentage of calls answered, has improved year-on-year, despite increasing demand
Client satisfaction with our telephone service also remained consistently high
Our client experience figures have stayed consistent over the last three years
We have maintained the client experience while moving away from face-to-face advice
- 84% of clients were helped to solve their problem in 2021/22
- 81% of clients said they wouldn’t have been able to solve their problem without us
- 83% of clients felt their mental health improved and they felt less stressed, depressed or anxious after contacting us
- 61% of clients felt their physical health had improved
Our Future Plans
4/4/22 – Start Outreach and Wallsend Community Engagement
- Start a rolling programme of publicity and marketing through a range of channels, including printed materials.
- Proposed extension of F2F service from current exceptional cases only, to any vulnerable clients – by appointment only.
- Regular sessions at Wallsend and Outreach for community engagement.
6/6/22 – Engagement sessions start in North Shields Library
- Engagement work in North Shields Library introduced
6/9/22 – Roll out Community Engagement to VCS Groups
- Working from Library Hubs and outreach with Community Groups.
- Review Service delivery.
Why?
- To manage the transition out of the covid restrictions smoothly.
- To adapt to the changed service expectations of our community.
- To help all clients, especially the most vulnerable, to navigate the post covid world.
- To maintain a high-quality advice service.
- To improve the efficiency of service delivery so we can help more people.
- To create a Service design suitable for the future.
What?
- F2F services will primarily be for vulnerable clients, including the digitally excluded. They will be booked appointments only, with no drop-in provision.
- Appointment Booking System
a) Via the app and the web portal
b) Covers all advice services - Telephone Advice will be the main delivery channel, supported by digital provision. This will be aligned with NCA and will include single queue, webchat, zoom and email.
- Publicity for the Service changes will emphasise telephone and digital service availability, whilst also covering f2f appointments.
- Clients will be encouraged, where appropriate, to shift to telephone and digital channels.
- The phone app to enables clients to request a call-back quickly and easily.
How?
- We have developed a triage role and triage service. This will operate from Wallsend Hub and North Shields Library and will direct clients to adviceline, telephone call-back or digital access. It will not include advice. This will replace the drop-in sessions.
The Triage service involves staff under a sign wearing CAB tee shirt and moving within the Hub/library. Potential clients will be offered:
a) Phone App or
b) to take their details to arrange telephone call-back or
c) to give adviceline phone number, web and digital services or
d) for vulnerable, digitally excluded, or clients who insist, a F2F appointment will be offered - We will develop bookable appointments, (F2F), for partners, starting with NTC. Available in North Shields (Camden House) and Wallsend (HUB). Partner referrals will predominantly be via the phone app.
- Outreach will be by:
a) community engagement and access to the app on outreach computers for telephone call-backs, or
b) outreach sessions as previously, or
c) community engagement plus bookable F2F or telephone call-backs - Future liaison meetings will involve greater use of Zoom and other remote access systems.
- Paid staff will work a hybrid mix of office, f2f and remote working, determined by each Team and negotiated individually.
- Volunteers will mostly work from the Camden Street office, but with some training and individual remote working agreed. Volunteers who were recruited to provide f2f advice, will be given the choice of staying in the f2f team, or moving to the Adviceline team.
- There will be consultation including, staff, volunteers, partners, stakeholders, clients etc.
- The Phone App
a) The website portal remains and there will be both access channels.
b) encourages call-back requests as the primary service.
c) simple registration enables one button access.
d) has adviceline and digital services in the App. - To monitor changes in number of clients helped and impact achieved, and to ensure access for vulnerable clients, we will include an equality impact assessment in the roadmap plan and as the transformation progresses.
Community Engagement
We will conduct a soft rollout of the new Community Engagement Service Delivery Model starting with the Outreach then Wallsend then North Shields. Initially the Engagement staff will cover regular sessions, then as the public increases it’s understanding, we will expand to proactive delivery to community groups.
Outreach
Community Engagement Sessions:
- Killingworth, White Swan – Monday 9:30am – 12:30pm
- Shiremoor, Shiremoor Library – Tuesday 9:30am – 12:30pm
- Whitley Bay Customer Service Centre – Tuesday 1:30pm – 4:30pm
- Meadow Well, Meadows Community Centre – Wednesday 1:30pm – 4:30pm
- Dudley, John Willie Sams Centre – Thursday 9:30am – 12:30pm
- Longbenton, Oxford Centre – Friday 9:30am – 12:30pm
- Islamic Centre, Rink Way, Whitley Bay – Friday 1pm – 4pm
Wallsend
- Community Engagement Sessions:
Mon: 10:00 – 13:00
Tue: 10:00 – 13:00
Thu: 10:00 – 13:00
Updated 10/5/22
Mark Almond
Chief Executive
