Sometimes services need to change how they work to keep going.
Examples include:
- how long they can offer support to each person
- global health challenges (e.g. pandemic)
- geographic funding restrictions
- service goals or processes
Long waiting lists create pressure for services to support their communities.
In the pandemic, services changed how they served communities by remote working & they kept some new ways of working when they returned to ‘the new normal’.
Despite funding limitations, services found ways to expand who was eligible to receive support.
“So the 12 week is more of a guide because we shouldn’t really be going past that, only because we need to think about capacity & how many clients we’re dealing with. But there is a bit of flexibility in that given, you know, because we can’t be person-centred & then just cut people off.”
Signposter
Leadership provided input & support to review existing practices. They were also involved in conversations around changing service goals.
What to consider
Consider the following strategies to help make use of opportunities (+) & avoid similar problems (–) in your service:
Community signposting services need to work flexibly & continually adapt to support service users.
Providers have flexibility to meet community needs (+)
What to do:
Encourage staff to adapt what the service can offer.
How to do it:
Staff work to provide what the community needs as it changes.
What changes:
- Service includes everyone
- Service meets people’s needs
Being flexible in how long services can work with a person (+)
What to do:
Encourage flexibility in support duration.
How to do it:
Adjust processes to extend or reduce support duration as needed.
What changes:
- Service includes everyone & meets people’s needs
- Service delivered as intended & can be kept going
- Shorter waits for service
Flexible use of available space (+)
What to do:
Change use of available physical space to deliver activities.
How to do it:
Consider using existing/other spaces differently as needed (e.g. group activities).
What changes:
- Service meets people’s needs
- Delivered as intended
- Service user-focused
Technology can support service users’ engagement at the start of working with them (+)
What to do:
Offer different communication options to service users.
How to do it:
Provide choice of phone/video calls to engage with service.
What changes:
- Service includes everyone
- Service meets people’s needs
- Service user-focused
Service fits within existing healthcare structure (+)
What to do:
Build relationships with existing healthcare staff.
How to do it:
Promote the service & make it fit within existing referral systems.
What changes:
- Shorter waits for service
- Service can be delivered in practice
Expanding service reach to wider community (+)
What to do:
Be aware of where service users live to be able to reach them.
Discuss with & convince funders to expand service user eligibility to access service.
How to do it:
Improve access for people struggling to attend services due to where they live.
Demonstrate public health benefits of expanding access.
What changes:
- Service includes everyone
- Service meets people’s needs
Leaders support service improvements (+)
What to do:
Leaders guide service developments & ‘go the extra mile’ beyond their daily tasks to sustain the service as a whole.
How to do it:
Leaders engage in service improvements, evaluation, extending access & filling resource gaps.
What changes?
- Shorter waits for service
- Service can be kept going
Fitting in with national policies, priorities & guidance (+)
What to do:
Service changes to fit in with national policy & guidance to meet funding requirements.
How to do it:
Leaders guide service changes to fit with national priorities.
What changes?
- Service meets people’s needs
- Service can be kept going