Sunderland Wins Digital Council Of The Year UK 2021
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, UK / AGILITYPR.NEWS / September 23, 2021 / Sunderland Council recognised for forward-thinking approach at Connected Britain Awards.
Sunderland Council was awarded Digital Council of the Year at a prestigious industry sector awards event this week. Sunderland was chosen due to its journey to embed fully-digitalised departmental operations, digitally empowered team members and extended reach into local communities.
As one of four shortlisted UK councils including Dorset, Surrey and Worcestershire, Sunderland was praised for its forward-thinking ambitions, digital leadership and the ability to embrace and leverage change across all its operations.
Accepting the award, Sunderland Council chief executive Patrick Melia said, “It is fantastic for our council, city and the North East as a whole, to be recognised on a national platform.
“We have been confident our collaborative digital plan would have a hugely positive impact on the way our council is operated and subsequently benefit our local communities. But to be singled out amongst our peers is very rewarding”.
Photo: Sunvderland Council chief executive, Patrick Melia
Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council added, “This award is testimony to the hard work and dedication of our team over the past year in particular and I extend my thanks to everyone involved”.
In particular Sunderland’s ‘Thinking Differently’ vision, pioneering social care technology and its ‘Thinking Operating Model’ programme were highlighted for their dynamic, collaborative and forward-thinking sensibilities.
‘Thinking Differently’ is a vision for the Council’s internal organisational transformation. It is a direct reflection of the leadership’s ambition to engage and empower it’s employees and equip them with the tools and mindset to take risks with measurable impact for residents, communities and businesses.
Sunderland’s digital drives involve the pioneering use of sensors and Assistive Technology (AT) in vulnerable people’s homes, ensuring they are safe when living alone.
The ‘Thinking Operating Model’ is an innovative transformation of whole Council service areas. It is a radical re-think and digitalisation of areas including 16 Corporate Support Services which is continuously improving 150+ customer journeys.
This award is the latest accolade for Sunderland following huge success in 2020 when it was announced as Smart City of the Year by Digital Leaders.
To find out more about Sunderland Our Smart City’s core themes and initiatives, visit www.sunderlandoursmartcity.com
About Us
About Sunderland Our Smart City
www.sunderlandoursmartcity.com
Sunderland City Council’s Smart City Plan connects people to places – a decade of social and digital transformation to accelerate city-wide improvements for generations to come.
The dynamic city Sunderland is place attractive to investors and talented individuals alike. By connecting people and places, our smart city will enable smarter systems and increased opportunities to transform the ways in which we exist for a connected, healthy and vibrant experience for all.
For more information, contact smartcity@sunderland.gov.uk
About Assistive Tech in Sunderland homes
SHEILA (Social Health Enabling Independent Living App) was developed – all the functionality of an app on a care user’s phone and connectivity to a series of sensors installed in homes.
Data is integrated into the city platform and app, collated and presented in a comprehensive user interface for family/care providers to easily use and analyse. Additional functionality enables ‘push alerts’ (e.g. SMS texts), allowing passive monitoring of vulnerable individual’s wellbeing.
Unique in the AT market and believed to be the first of its kind in the UK, ‘SHEILA’ forms part of the Council’s growing use of AT as an enabler to help individuals remain independent and safe at home. Raising aspirations across communities and showcasing how smart tech can be leveraged to promote safety, independence and quality of life.
The use of smart technology has completely transformed the Council’s delivery of adult social care and with 1,200 homes across Sunderland now equipped with AT, the real impact out in the community is immeasurable.
About ‘Thinking Operating Model’ (TOM) Programme
By fostering independence, resilience and digital capabilities, council teams are realising savings and delivering improved customer and user experiences via new digital tooling and digital transformation of whole service areas.
A long-term, sustainable approach will see the TOM Programme delivered by March 2024 before entering a cycle of continuous improvement. Phase one (commenced April 2020) is delivering a vast range of projects to support all customer journeys via an agile transformational approach and enabling Digital Interface.
A radical re-think of Corporate Support Services is underway with the complete re-design and digitisation of service areas covering 16 Corporate Support Services and 150+ customer journeys.
The re-design of Building Services is an example of innovation in action with its successful digital transformation.
The implementation of TechForge IT solution and a mobile app for operatives to receive/update jobs have brought a step change in operations with far-reaching benefits: significantly improved customer experiences, heightened customer communications, more productive back-office administration, more efficient processes for Building Services’ operatives using mobile app, real time financial reporting/forecasting and simpler reconciliation.
For an operative using the new app, a 12-step paper-based process was slimmed down to 5 digital steps and the re-design of materials ordering saw a 10-step manual process become a 4-step digital portal-based one.
Contacts
Tori Lynn
Head of PR & Media
tori@narrativecommunications.co.ukNarrative Communications
Phone: +44 7951 649 870