What is the challenge your project is going to address and how does it connect to the theme of 'How can improvement be used to reduce delays accessing health and care services'?

We receive numerous queries/concerns from the public following receipt of MCA documentation/letters (currently the materials are designed with much legal terminology) which has caused them much anxiety and distress.  There is an identified need to collaborate with the public to redesign information to ensure that it is accessible, clear and easily understood.  This redesign of care and communication will increase staff capacity to respond to critical tasks by reducing the level of queries from the public.  Our service as a whole will improve and will maximise the time and skills of our staff to provide service.

This positive change and partnership working in the creation of an app will ensure the public can access comprehensible information and any support they require, minimising risk of information causing confusion or distress.  We will work collaboratively to improve understanding and access to our service, further enhancing our connection with our communities.

What does your project aim to achieve?

Aim: Maximising capacity of skilled workforce to deal with time critical work and provision of MCA services

Objectives:

·         To redesign and improve accessibility and quality of MCA information provided to the public via a MCA App.

·         Involvement of current service users/ carers in the design of this newly formatted information and app

·         Improve public understanding of the Mental Capacity Act and its ongoing implementation

·         Improving and streamlining work flow

·         To reduce time taken for staff to respond to current queries/concerns – increasing staff capacity

This redesign of information and means of communication via the app aims to ensure that the accessibility, the format and language used will improve and enhance understanding of MCA and what it means to the public in practice in “lay man’s terms” alleviating current concerns and the number of queries received.  This will minimise the risk of any language barrier or inequality with regards MCA information.

How will the project be delivered?

The current issue with MCA information and correspondence has been under review for some time whereby we have commenced collating baseline data and realise the need for change and redesign and accessibility.  This project is not only to reduce the time professional staff are dealing with queries but to also increase and improve our meaningful engagement with service users, carers and the public as a whole, streamlining our service to meet their needs.  We have considered our approach and are aware that we need early service user involvement and engagement alongside other key professionals, ensuring a collaborative approach and key skill mix.  We need to be clear in our measures and design of the information and App – ensuring that it will be fit for purpose, eliminating any waste.  Testing the planned changes will be critical on how this project is delivered, measuring progress and achieving the aim.

How is your project going to share learning?

This project will demonstrate the critical need to provide information that is appropriate to its audience and that it is accessible.  It will evidence the importance of providing a wider context of information to aid understanding and break down barriers of communication.  It will evidence the critical nature of involving the public/service user groups to co-produce the information and inspire others.  The Mental Capacity Act (NI) 2016 is legislation that is partially implemented throughout all Trusts within NI.  The plan for this project will be to upscale and spread to other Trusts to ensure that the public in all areas have equality of access to information.  This will demonstrate that by fostering a knowledge and information sharing culture we will connect and build rapport with the public, ensuring that our service integral and inclusive as MCA is further implemented.