Disability and Carers Service Business Plan 2006–2007
Foreword
I am pleased to introduce the Disability and Carers Service 2006-07 Business Plan.
It aims to summarise how we will continue our development programme over the next 12 months, where specific focus will be on customer service, quality, efficiency and improving the capability of our staff and managers.
Last year, our first as an executive agency of the Department for Work and Pensions, we set out how Disability and Carers Service would change over the coming years to be a modern customer–focused service.
We have made significant progress, not least in the standard of service provided by our DLA/AA Helpline. So much so that the commitment by staff to deliver an improved service received formal external accreditation by the Contact Centre Association Standards Council.
In addition, over 10 per cent of our staff took part in our volunteering initiative, Community 500, where they spent at least one day in the community working directly with customers and representatives of organisations in day to day contact with disabled people and carers. The whole experience was a real success for all of us involved where we gained a greater insight to the needs of our customers. Many of our staff have gone on to maintain their involvement in volunteering as a result.
The Carer’s Allowance Unit and our Disability Benefits Centre in Newcastle were both awarded their fourth successive Charter Mark. This recognises our commitment to customers and is further evidence that despite all of the difficulties and pressures we know can get in the way of delivering quality services, progress can still be made.
The evidence of progress in the last year despite rising workloads and employing fewer staff provides confidence in meeting the challenges of 2006-07.
Amongst the many people and organisations that have helped make our ambitions a reality, I am particularly indebted to our dedicated and hard-working staff and our stakeholder organisations.
For this year, key initiatives include further developing targets to measure customer satisfaction, and addressing quality and accuracy in decision-making.
We will also ensure that we operate within the values set out for all Departmental staff.
I would like to extend a personal thank you for the continued support and trust in our organisation. I sincerely hope we can continue to repay that commitment with a service that everyone, whether involved in the delivery or as a customer of it, can be proud of.
Terry Moran
Chief Executive