For our second blog, Stephen Curtis, Director of the Centre of Excellence for Information Sharing, identifies personal stories as the answer to better information sharing...
If you asked your service users what they expect from public services many would say they want to tell their story just once and get support for the entirety of their problem in one fell swoop, not just part of it.
Providing this seamless service means different public service workers and organisations have to talk to each other. But how do you make these interactions happen when there are multiple services involved, all with different backgrounds and organisational foundations?
You might instantly think of big databases, the technology needed to make data sharing simpler or the governance arrangements that need to be agreed by all who are taking part in that service's delivery.
These are all important considerations, but for me and my colleagues at the Centre of Excellence for Information Sharing, they don't hold the key to unlocking the real barriers that prevent effective information sharing. This is why we are keen to shift the conversation and frame information sharing in a different light.
Over the past few months we have started working intensively in a number of areas and, although each situation is different, as some of our case studies show, it is clear to see that the biggest barrier to information sharing is culture. Something which may not be regarded as tangible as developing a database or a working agreement and so may seem more difficult to overcome.
We believe stories are the answer. Both nationally and locally, we have found there is often a personal story underpinning different information sharing journeys – whether positive or negative.
These personal stories create a common language and shared understanding of frustrations and successes for all who are involved and they provide a starting point to unpick the issues that prevent a service from being the best it can be.
This is why we have launched our #infostory campaign. Throughout November, to support #BetterServices month, we will be sharing stories, from chief executives to front-line staff, that highlight the outcomes better information sharing would achieve for service users.
From mid-November we will be telling a different story each day through our networks. If you have a story to share or want to hear the different stories that are driving information sharing journeys nationally visit our website
So: what is your story and what can you learn from it to make information sharing a reality in your area?
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