Information about the site for SPLS/Web IT Developers

http://www.b3.manchester.gov.uk/speople/

Background

Manchester is developing the Supporting People Local System (SPLS) using in-house IT resources, with an Access front end and Oracle tables. In-house development was preferred for a number of reasons, but primarily for flexibility and responsiveness to business requirements.

Web based data collection was developed as part of the Manchester Quality and Monitoring Pilot to test some of the tools associated with the collection, measurement and analysis of the quality assessment framework (QAF). The remit was extended to include collection of Performance Indicator (PI) data.  Providers (users) enter data (via the web) directly into the live SPLS tables.  QAF and PI data can be viewed through SPLS, at provider, contract and service levels.

Detail

The site is constructed using Active Server Pages (ASP) web technology with Oracle as the database.  It is running under https so as to secure data transmission between the client and server. The site is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The users log on to the data returns part of the site with usernames and passwords issued by the SP Team.  A successful login gives users access to return their data and identifies who they are - it links their provider id with their session on the site.  They choose which return is to be submitted (QAF or PI) and a list of all services attached to a Supporting People contract is displayed. There is a refresh facility within SPLS to update the web tables with new/amended service information.  Both the QAF and PI web form fields are validated using JavaScript to ensure all mandatory data has been provided.  Any coded fields in the web tables are replaced with text; therefore users see meaningful information (such as client group name) rather than a number.  Any data marked as ‘confidential’ in the tables is not visible to the user.

QAF Returns

The code will check the relevant database tables to ascertain if the user has already submitted their data for the selected service.  If they have, they will be informed of this.  If not they will be directed to the data entry web form.  Once complete, data is returned to the server and written to the database using an Oracle stored procedure and an indicator set in another database field to show that the data has been returned successfully.  If there is an error with the insert to the database, the transaction is rolled back and the user informed that their data has not been sent and they need to try again.  Once the user has successfully submitted the return, a summary page is displayed with a message advising this should be printed and retained with their records.

PI Returns

After the user has selected a service from the list, contact and selected service details are displayed.  They are asked to confirm if the contact details for the service manager are correct.  If not, they are asked to type the corrections in a text form field.  This, when submitted, is sent via email to the Supporting People team, along with the provider name, id and their support service id.  This enables the team to have correct service manager details at all times, which is particularly important for services which permit self referral by service users.  If any service (i.e. contractual) details are incorrect and the user notifies the team through this facility, the email is routed through to the Contract Officer.  No changes are made to contractual details in SPLS as a result of corrections arising from web submissions.

Users are then taken to the PI data input web form. Providers have one month from the last day of each quarter to submit their PI return, then the site is locked.  Providers can only submit the return for the quarter displayed. (This forms part of the contract compliance business processes).

During this process, the code checks if a return for that particular quarter has already been sent.  If not, the user completes the form and when sent to the server, a stored procedure writes the data to the relevant Oracle table, rolling back the transaction and informing the user if the insert is unsuccessful.

Once the return has been successfully submitted the user then has the option to leave the site, or return to their service list and enter PIs for their remaining services.

User Feedback

Following the release of the first version which extended the functionality to include PI collection, users were contacted about the website. Their responses were as follows:

• 86% of providers found the website easy to access
• 100% found the instructions on how to use the website easy to follow.
• 100% found it easy to access the providers’ only area.
• 64% needed to change their service contact details, and all who did found this straightforward.
• 86% found it easy to input the performance indicator details
• 100% found the website easy to use.

Should you wish to find out more about the website, please email supporting.people@manchester.gov.uk, indicating ‘Website development’ in the subject line.

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