Patchwork
Multi Agency Working
Patchwork is a simple web application which allows users across multiple agencies to quickly and simply access the contact details of other front line staff working with their clients.
By helping practitioners communicate better across organisations, Patchwork means more effective multi-agency working. The application is accompanied by a bespoke change programme designed to support more effective multi-agency work practices.
Features
Add and maintain their clients contact details
Practitioners are able to quickly and easily maintain their list of clients in the tool. It is simple to update, ensuring that all practitioners have access to the most up to date information at all times.
See at a glance which agencies are working with their client and how to contact them
Patchwork reveals the hidden network of practitioners working with a client meaning users are able to instantly know who they should be contacting to join up the services they provide.
Invite others into the team working with their client
It’s not always easy to know how to go about referring a client to another service, and it can mean practitioners spending hours on the phone trying to find the right person to speak to or even the right team. Patchwork allows them to invite others into the team in a matter of clicks.
Maintain their own contact details so that others
have the best means of getting in touch
Everyone works differently. Patchwork allows the user to decide how best to be contacted, along with making it simple for them to update their details if they get a new phone number, job title or office location.
Alert others when they have concern about a client
Likewise it’s not always easy for practitioners to alert one another about niggling concerns that they have about a client. Patchwork allows practitioners to flag to one another when they feel that a client needs extra attention.
Upcoming features and development
Currently Patchwork is designed to show the team around an individual client. However, we know that the issues faced by individuals can not be divorced from the wider context of their lives – the families and households that they live in. Therefore we are developing Patchwork to support the families agenda and show the team working around a family or household. This work is currently in development and should be available as a prototype later in the year.
Design
We feel that the only way to make something truly usable is to involve the people who will use it in its creation. That’s why Patchwork has been designed this way from the start working with practitioners in Westminster, Staffordshire and Brighton who have helped us to hone in on what was truly useful to them.
Co-design is central to the culture of the team behind Patchwork, ensuring that they continuously listen and learn from users of Patchwork to feed direct experience back into the future development of the application.
Change
Good technology can drive change. One of the major benefits of Patchwork is that the process of implementation can identify issues with current ways of working and drive through change in practice. However, we think it’s important that this change is managed.
That’s why we work to help you through the entire change process. We’ll help you to not only train user, but also to integrate it seamlessly into improving everyday working practices. We’ll also work with Information Governance and IT across all agencies in each local area to ensure compliance, technical support for the app and help desk style support to practitioners and back office support staff as necessary.
Benefits
1 Understanding the full picture
Sometimes just knowing who else is working with a client will help a practitioner to better understand how they play a part in providing support and how they can do an even better job. Understanding the full picture means connections aren’t missed and information can be shared more effectively at the right time in the right way.
2 Earlier Intervention
When a practitioner knows who the whole team working with their client is, it’s much easier to co-ordinate their efforts, before a situation escalates and requires an intervention. Ultimately, getting the right people involved earlier leads to a better outcome for the individual.
3. Builds Relationships
Traditional agency silos can be broken down quickly by practitioners just having easy access to each other’s contact information. Then, having worked together once, they can build relationships across organisations, helping to deliver services to other clients better too.
4. Saves Time
Ultimately, Patchwork has been designed to make life easier for practitioners – so that they don’t have to spend a lot of time calling around organisations trying to find out if other agencies are involved with their client. It means less time at their desk, and more time to spend with their clients
Team
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Dominic Campbell
Director
Dom is in charge of overall strategy for Patchwork.
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Kirsty Elderton
Project Lead
Kirsty leads the Patchwork team.
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Mark Wood
Technology Lead
Mark leads the development of the Patchwork application.
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Claire Sidebottom
Consultant
Claire oversees programme management for Patchwork.
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Carrie Bishop
Design Strategy
Carrie works on the overall strategy and direction of Patchwork.
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Work With Us
If you’re currently looking at how to support multi-agency working in your area, please contact us for a chat about how and where Patchwork might help.
Keep Up to Date
Check out our blog for regular news and updates about Patchwork or sign up for our newsletter below. You can also read our brochure for more information