A five-year development for the transformation of computer systems in Liverpool’s adult social care has been launched.
The £1.5 million IT project has seen five separate networks combined into one, integrating the department’s information and financial systems.
‘Liquidlogic’ has developed a system that aims to support the improved organisation of care documents for the 15,000 people who receive council support every year, and a simpler process for the 600 council staff that will use it.
A spokesperson for the Adult Services and Health of Liverpool City Council told JMU journalism: “Everyone’s very excited about the transformation, it’s been a long time coming but it’s not a surprise that it’s taken such a long time, as it’s been so complicated.
“We have already had feedback from the company that launched it, and they’ve said that this has been one of the best launches they’ve ever had in terms of running smoothly, and doing what it’s supposed to do.”
The development will cut bureaucracy by reducing the number of forms used across community and hospital teams down for 960 versions to around 30.
Liverpool’s Deputy Mayor and Cabinet member for adult social care and health, Councillor Roz Gladden, explained how the system has been tailored to the city’s needs, and although it will be used by a number of other public bodies, it is bespoke to Liverpool.
Information from the old systems have been electronically transferred and 12,000 paper files have been scanned in, meaning social workers who staff Careline, the contact centre to social care inquires, will have fast operative access on the computers they work from.
Cllr Roz Gladden said: “Staff can spend more time working with people who need support, and their families planning their care. It also makes it much easier for us to obtain or run a whole host of reports to help us anticipate the demands on the service.”
Across Merseyside, hundreds of social care providers commissioned by the council will be able to self-manage their contract by uploading invoices and downloading statements, and reducing the time taken to process claims.