The Housing Ombudsman has released its latest Spotlight report stating that getting Knowledge and Information Management (KIM) right is the “closest thing the sector could get to a silver bullet”. The report can be found here.
The Ombudsman states; “Unlike previous Spotlight reports, which have concentrated on areas of service provision, this report focuses on an underlying reason that services end up failing…The correlation between poor knowledge and information management and delay, poor communication, financial uncertainty and poor complaints handling, and the human consequences of that, are evident throughout our casework”.
This new report makes 21 recommendations looking at governance, repairs and recording standards. This was having noted that two thirds of the cases upheld had an issue with the data and information that was available to assess which in turn caused delays for residents who had raised issues. Further, it was reported that this led to key vulnerabilities being missed.
The 21 recommendations in his report include actions such as; implementing a Knowledge and Information Management Strategy, training staff on the Equality Act 2010, reviewing internal guidance around recording vulnerabilities, developing organisational key data recording standard requirements, putting in place stress test systems prior to a merger and setting out clear requirements of operatives before they are allowed to record an appointment as missed.
For further information, please contact Victoria Smith.
