West Lothian connected - A one stop shop located in a busy shopping mall
Key contact: Susan Gordon
Address: Community Planning & Regeneration, West Lothian House (2nd Floor), Almondvale, Boulevard, Livingston, West Lothian, EH54 6QG
Telephone: 01506 775000
Email: Susan.Gordon@westlothian.gov.uk
In a nutshell
We are conveniently located in Almondvale Shopping Centre and bring together a range of public sector agencies. We are West Lothian’s first one-stop-shop – and focus on working together to provide more seamless, customer friendly services.
The issues addressed
We wanted to make sure that the local (and wider) community had better access to a range of services. And uptake of many services had previously been low.
Many of the issues facing our customers cross service boundaries and require a partnership approach in the ways we deliver services.
The approach to the issues
The Council and the (then) Benefits Agency wanted to relocate to a more central location. At the same time, the Joined Up Working White Paper was published by the government – and this created a momentum for joined up working. Job Centre Plus was already located in the centre and there was a vacancy next to them.
By locating in the main shopping centre in West Lothian, we knew that access – including disability access – would not be a problem.
We bring together services from:
• West Lothian Council
• Jobcentre Plus
• NHS West Lothian
• HM Revenue and Customs
• West Lothian College.
Setting up the work
A project board was set up with senior members of staff from each of partner agency together with a house committee (frontline staff). A project manager was also appointed to liaise between these. A project managers’ group meets regularly and this is made up of representatives from each of the partner agencies with direct responsibility for service provision.
Each partner is funded by mainstream funding.
Evidence of success
By joining up services and bringing them together under the one roof, we can provide increased access to a variety of services and encourage uptake of services that customers previously may not have known about.
We have worked together on a number of specific projects. For example:
• We took an integrated approach to staff training. We developed some training documents for all staff in the Centre that cut across the boundaries between different agencies. The documents helped staff signpost customers to other services.
• We also jointly created a single form where customers were able to claim benefits and free school meals at the same time. This not only reduced the time it takes to administer free school meals as a service but also increased uptake of it.
Generally, co-location and working together has also resulted in:
• A broader, shared understanding of customer needs
• An increase of joined up working initiatives between agencies.
Lessons learnt
• A shared reception area can make customers feel more at ease with accessing services that are stigmatised. And a significant number of enquiries can be solved at this stage, saving time for our customers.
• It is crucial that different agencies know what services each agency provides – otherwise they cannot sign post or make a clearer picture of customer need.
• A central project co-ordinator is important during the development phase. He or she will be responsible for liaising between partners and encouraging joint working between staff.
