Work to develop a new and innovative system to improve outcomes for children and adults across the borough is underway.

Last summer, Dudley Council’s cabinet approved significant investment to deliver a new IT platform for social care. It will replace a number of different systems that are currently used, bringing together all information held about individuals into one place.

It will deliver a quicker and more effective service to help staff as they go about their daily duties supporting children and adults across the borough.  It will also have the capacity to improve the way information is shared with partner agencies.

The council has this week appointed a company called Liquid Logic to develop the new platform, which is expected to be up and running in full by the spring of next year. Liquid Logic is one of the country’s leading suppliers to local authorities of social care and management services. Councillor Nicolas Barlow, cabinet member for adult social care, said:

“With social care continually changing, we need to ensure we have the correct systems in place so we can deal with the complex nature that many cases present. 

"The new system will help create a much-needed joined up approach to the way we work, to make it easier for staff to do their job and ultimately offer the best care possible to those we are responsible for.”

Councillor Anne Millward, cabinet member for children’s services, added:

 “When our children’s services were inspected in 2016, one of the issues raised by inspectors was around our IT systems within children and families’ social care.  From what inspectors and staff have told us, it was clear we needed a new system that could fully exploit modern technology and allow staff to access it anywhere at any time.  

“We are confident this investment will offer long-term benefits and put us in a strong position as we continue to strive to improve services within social care.”

This investment forms part of the council’s approach, jointly with partner agencies, to transform services for local people through digital solutions.