Transcript Project Khaedu - Public Service And Administration, RSA

Action Learning Programme
Project Khaedu
Social Welfare – Empangeni/Ngwelezane
November 3rd 2005
Agenda
•Executive summary
•Situation
•Complications
•Some suggestions
Executive summary and key message
Ngwelezane Social Welfare office is handling a large and
growing number of clients but the over complex separation of
process between District and Region greatly hampers
efficiency as does shortage of basic tools of the trade. With
disability grants a new approach is needed if fraud is to be
curtailed.
Social security can significantly improve its grant
application process, but needs to decentralise.
Social Welfare Services is critically short of key resources
and could consider devolving some of the functions in order
to cope.
The disability grant is clearly readily abused and a new
approach is needed to control fraud
Situation
Social security can significantly improve its grant application process, but needs
to decentralise.
Social Welfare Services is critically short of key resources and could consider
devolving some of the functions in order to cope.
•Two serious backlogs are building in disability grant process; namely; backlog
crisis in the office and backlog crisis at Ulundi
•Backlog in the office caused mainly by long fragmented and duplicative process
•Statistics for Ngwelezane Office seem to indicate a marked increase in numbers
of applications for disability grants
•There is a growing crisis in Foster Care Grant applications, e.g. average number
of applications per month is 113, 38 are granted, while about 56 reports are
finalised by Social Workers
•There is only one vehicle in working order for used by 9 Social Workers
•Communication with applicants is totally inadequate, e.g. the ‘notice’ board at
Social Welfare.
•Our citizens are unhappy with overall time taken by the process, a situation
probably exacerbated by lack of ablution facilities, but are reasonably happy with
the quality of service received
•Staff morale appears relatively low with major issues regarding training, career
progression, conditions of work and lack of resources
The majority of grant applications are for child support
and disability
APPLICATIONS JULY - SEPT 2005
100%
1.0%
1.1%
1.2%
ARRERS
80%
U. BEN
58.5%
GIA
62.8%
62.6%
PERCENTAGE
CSG
60%
CDG
FCG
0.6%
40%
20%
0%
3.2%
33.7%
DG
0.4%
1.3%
1.3%
2.2%
33.2%
28.6%
2.9%
1.0%
LOWER UMFOLOZI APPLICATIONS
RBAY APPLICATIONS
DISTRICT /REGION
3.8%
ULUNDI APPLICATIONS
OAP
Two serious backlogs are building in disability grants
Average
volumes
per month
600
562
500
400
348
300
208.5
200
100
Backlog
crisis in the
Office
Backlog
crisis at
Ulundi
177.5
0
Applied
Awaiting Annexure
E
Fowarded to
Ulundi
Received from
Ulundi
Partly driven by an apparent increase in applications
1,000
Average backlog is 200 per month
880
900
800
715
700
600
651
577
544
500
453
431
400
300
200
100
0
April 05
May 05
June 05
July 05
Aug 05
Sep 05
Oct 05
…and a high rate of renewals relative to other areas…
LOWER UMFOLOZI
DISABILITY APPLICATIONS: JULY - SEPTEMBER 2005
0.0%
100%
0.7%
0.0%
18.9%
90%
0.2%
11.1%
80%
APPEAL
70%
60%
38.9%
83.0%
REVIEW
55.5%
50%
MISCH
NEW
40%
30%
49.7%
20%
25.6%
10%
16.3%
0%
LOWER UMFOLOZI
Total DG applications = 1,488
New: 243
RICHARDSBAY
Total DG applications = 1,268
New: 324
ULUNDI
Total DG applications =15,864
New:7,892
…and over 10% of the population seem to be ‘disabled’ –
Basic Income Grant by default?
100%
6,744
Annual
applications
80%
60%
40%
56,056
20%
0%
1
Balance of
population
aged 18-65
But the single biggest factor is the current disability grant application process
is long, complicated, fragmented and duplicative
Applican
t referral
letter to
a Dr. &
Surgeon
Two weeks
Messenger
collects referral
letters from
Surgeon
Registration of
referral letter &
paste against the
wall
Applicant checks
his/ her name
against wall list
Go Back
home
Data Capturer
Check, verify &
capture data
electronically
3rd Attesting Officer:
Check, verify &
signs of for
capturing
2nd Attesting Officer:
Check, verify
Issue a receipt
Applicant
told to return
in 3 months
Files
moved to
registry
Files batched
& moved to
RO for
approval
Files moved
backed to
registry with
award letters
Actual time taken to complete: 35 min
Waiting period: 1hr: 35 min
Total period: 2hr: 10m
File to
enrolment
officer
Yes
Enquiries
Check & Verify
Issue application
forms
No?
Clerk:
Check & verify
documentation
Take finger prints
1st Attesting Officer
Fill application forms
(manually)
File opened
Currently 3-6 months
Applicant
returns to
enquire if
approval
granted
Applicant
queues for
enrolment
officer
Beneficiar
y leaves
to collect
payment
Enrolment
officer logs
approval
Applicant to CPS
officer for
payment card
In addition, the time taken to process a grant varies
enormously creating major uncertainty for clients
Theoretical ‘lapse’ point
No. of
awards
250
212
200
The ‘Tail of Frustration’
186
178
150
86
100
48
50
0
34
29
7-8
8-9
12
19
32
0
0-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
Months since applied
9-10
10
plus
There is similarly a growing crisis in Foster Care
Grants..
Average
Applications
per month
120
113
100
80
56
60
HUGE
and
growing
backlog
38
40
20
0
Applied
Report Finalised
Granted
..and the current foster care grant application process
again plays a major part
Applican
t arrives
and sits
in queue
Supervisor
Verify
Sign off:
Capturing
Intake
Interviews, checks
and refer to Area
Social Worker. Open
the file.
2nd Attesting
Officer
Check, Verify
Receipt issue
Conduct
Investigatio
n
Finger
Prints
taken
Applicant
told to return
in 3 months
Data Capturer
Files moved
to electronic
registration
Payment
initiated
Report writing with
findings
Clerk fills the
form on behalf
of the
applicant
1st
Attesting
Officer:
Check &
Verify
Open file and
submit to
Supervisor
Check & Verify:
Supervisor
Refer to
Social
Security to
apply for grant
Magistrate
enquiry Court
Order
Currently 3-6 months
Files moved
to registry
Beneficiar
y leaves
to collect
payment
Files batched
and moved
RO
Applicant returns
to enquire if
approval granted
Applicant
to CPS
officer for
payment
card
DO
Registry
Applicant queues
for enrolment officer
…but as does the shortage of Social Workers and
critically, their lack of working transport
Social Workers
16
14
12
9
8
4
0
Recommended
Only 1 vehicle in use for
both offices
Serving population > 400,000
Existing
Impacts on review of
severely disabled people
The one working vehicle for 9 social workers…why
bother to employ them?
Staff morale appears relatively low with major issues
regarding training, career progression and facilities
Very good 5
3.63
Good 4
OK 3
2.50
2.60
2.65
2.81
2.56
2.81
2.81
Poor 2
V. poor 1
Responsible
use of budget
Overall
Management
quality
Effectiveness of
PMDS
Quality of
Service we
deliver
Quality of
Facilities
Communication
Career
Progression
Training
adequacy
0
Our citizens are unhappy with the overall time taken in the
process and access to toilets but are reasonably happy with the
quality of service received
Very good
5.00
Good
4.00
3.09
OK
3.00
Poor
2.00
V. poor
1.00
3.23
2.34
3.06
3.40
2.20
0.00
Time taken Helpfulness Cleanliness
in process
of staff
of facilities
Acess to
toilets
Quality of
service
overall
Skills of staff
Complication
Social security can significantly improve its grant application process, but needs to
decentralise.
Social Welfare Services is critically short of key resources and could consider devolving
some of the functions in order to cope.
Situation
• Two serious backlogs are building in disability grant; namely; backlog
crisis in the office and backlog crisis at Ulundi
• Backlog in the office caused mainly by long fragmented and duplicative
process
• But also over 10% of the population seem to be “disabled” – basic
Income Grant by default
• Versus census data on disabilities for Ngwelezane we seem to have
many more applications
• A growing crisis in Foster Grants backlog, e.g. average application per
month is 113, report finalized 56, and 38 granted
• Growing backlog is also the result of both a long fragmented and
duplicative process
• Only one working vehicle for 9 social workers-why bother to employ them
• The time taken to process a grant varies enormously creating major
uncertainty for clients, e.g. 3 months theoretical ‘lapse’ and the tail of
frustration
• Communications are an issue, e.g. the ‘notice’ board at Social Welfare.
• The notices are only in a rough date order making the search a lengthy
process
• Our citizens are unhappy with overall time taken in the process and
access to toilets, but are reasonably happy with the quality of service
received
• Staff morale appears relatively low with major issues regarding training,
career progression and facilities
Complication
•Batching and movement
of files causes severe
backlogs.
•Physical facilities leave a
lot to be desired as the
corridors are narrow and
crowded and some
functions are outside.
•Physical facilities leave a
lot to be desired… who is
the service provider here?
•Communication with
clients is inadequate
Batching and movement of files causes severe
backlogs
Physical facilities leave a lot to be desired as the corridors
are narrow and crowded and some functions are outside
Queue for checking
Physical facilities leave a lot to be desired…who is
the service provider here?
These are maggots
The ‘notice board’ at Social Welfare
Notices of Doctors report
receipts posted onto the
garage wall
The notices are only in a rough date order making
the search a lengthy process
Social security can significantly improve its grant application process, but needs to
decentralise.
Social Welfare Services is critically short of key resources and could consider devolving
some of the functions in order to cope.
Suggestion
•Many of our clients could be reached using an automated SMS system
•Over 40% of our clients have bank or post Office accounts, but only 12% of our
clients use them for direct deposit of their grants
•But only 24% would like to have money deposited directly-even if the account was
free, however, the value of a concerted drive to use a subsidised bank account is
huge
Disability:
Shorten processes (integrated RO &DO) and time taken for referrals
Needs an independent Risk Management role to curtail large scale abuse.
Forster
Equip the social workers and consider “grant” principle, i.e. reverse burden of proof
Shorten the whole district/region process
Many of our clients could be reached using an
automated SMS system
100%
9
80%
60%
9
No messaging
SMS
40%
20%
Cell Phone
17
0%
1
Over 40% of our clients have bank or Post Office
accounts…
100%
80%
No
19
Yes
16
60%
40%
20%
0%
Do you have a bank account?
But only
12% of our
clients use
them for
direct
deposit of
their grants
…but only 24% would like to have money deposited
directly - even if the account was free
“The bank is too far
from me”
100%
“I prefer to receive my
money in cash”
80%
60%
No
26
40%
20%
Yes
9
0%
Would you use a free bank account?
“The cash payout is
where we meet
people”
“I would like to have it
deposited directly,
how do we do that?”
…however, the value of a concerted drive to use a
subsidised bank account is huge
Annual Savings Rands Thousands*
R 1,200,000
R 988,320
R 1,000,000
R 741,240
R 800,000
R 600,000
R 400,000
R 494,160
R 247,080
R 200,000
R0
10%
20%
30%
40%
Increase in direct deposit over existing 12%
*Assumes R7.50 subsidy p.m. paid to bank or Post Office for a
Mzansi account for each client
But, the overall processes in disability and
Foster need a radical redesign
Cut non-value adding processes
Decentralise approvals by integration of
District and Regional functions
Introduce a risk management system:
- Fraud and corruption
Non-value-adding and duplicative steps can be
removed
Applican
t referral
letter to
a Doctor.
&
Surgeon
Two weeks
Messenger
collects referral
letters from
Surgeon
Registration of
referral letter &
paste against the
wall
Applicant checks
his/ her name
against wall list
Go Back
home
Data Capturer
Check, verify &
capture data
electronically
3rd Attesting Officer:
Check, verify &
signs of for
capturing
2nd Attesting Officer:
Check, verify
Issue a receipt
Applicant
told to return
in 3 months
Files
moved to
registry
Files batched
& moved to
RO for
approval
Files moved
backed to
registry with
award letters
Actual time taken to complete: 35 min
Waiting period: 1hr: 35 min
Total period: 2hr: 10m
File to
enrolment
officer
Yes
Enquiries
Check & Verify
Issue application
forms
No?
1st Attesting Officer
Clerk:
Check & verify
documentation
Take finger prints
Fill application forms
(manually)
File opened
Currently 3-6 months
Applicant
returns to
enquire if
approval
granted
Applicant
queues for
enrolment
officer
Beneficiar
y leaves
to collect
payment
Enrolment
officer logs
approval
Applicant to CPS
officer for
payment card
…simplifying and shortening the process
Applicant
referral letter
to a Doctor.
& Surgeon
Applicant
queues for
enrolment
officer
Messenger
collects referral
letters from
Surgeon
Applicant
returns to
enquire if
approval
granted
Help Desk or
Enquiries
Check & Verify
Issue application
forms
File to
enrolment
officer
1st Attesting Officer
Fill application forms
(manually)
Select payment
method
File opened
Issue with award letters
Clerk:
Take finger prints
Approval
SMS Client
2 weeks
Enrolment
officer logs
approval
Method of
payment
Applicant to CPS
officer for
payment card
Beneficiar
y leaves
to collect
payment
Actual time taken to complete: 20 min
Waiting period: 35 min
Total period: 55min
In Foster Grants non-value-adding and duplicative steps can also
be removed
Applican
t arrives
and sits
in queue
Supervisor/
Verifier: Sign
off for
Capturing
Intake
Interviews,
checks and
refer to Area
Social Worker.
2nd Attesting
Officer
Check, Verify
Receipt issue
Finger
Prints
taken
Applicant
told to return
in 3 months
Data Capturer
Files moved
to electronic
registration
Payment
initiated
Report
writing
with
findings
Conduct
Investigatio
n
Clerk fills the
form on behalf
of the
applicant
Open file and
submit to
Supervisor
1st
Attesting
Officer:
Check &
Verify
Send to
Ulundi for
registration
Check & Verify:
Supervisor
Magistrate
enquiry Court
Order
Currently 3-6 months
Files moved
to registry
Beneficiar
y leaves
to collect
payment
Files batched
and moved
RO
Applicant returns
to enquire if
approval granted
Applicant
to CPS
officer for
payment
card
DO
Registry
Applicant queues
for enrolment officer
…simplifying and shortening the process
Applicant
arrives,
enquire and
sits in queue.
Intake
Interviews,
checks and
refer to Area
Social Worker.
Files moved to
registry
Area Social Worker:
Approved in principle
(Grand- mother &
child)
Social Worker:
Subsequent
iinvestigation by
Social Worker
1st Attesting Officer:
Magistrate:
Enquiry &
Court Order
Clerk:
Finger Prints
Check & Verify and
signs off for
Capturing
Could be 1 day
Files moved
to electronic
registration
Files moved
to registry
Applicant queues
for enrolment officer
Applicant
to CPS
officer for
payment
card
Beneficiar
y leaves
to collect
payment
Supervisor:
Checking &
Approval by
In addition, these areas should also be
addressed
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Vehicles for Social Workers : contract vehicles versus review of the current
subsidy protocol
Physical layout – review need for broken spaces
End toilet contract and re-tender
Review actual staffing norms versus current complement
Staff development – concentrate on computer literacy on SOCPEN
Thoroughly investigate the role of the Private Doctors in the process,
replace with full time employees versus increase remuneration versus other
options such as increased use of professional nurses in clinics
IT infrastructure – increase SOCPEN access as process decentralized
Put in place regional Monitoring and Evaluation capability particularly with
regard to Disability grants
Additional inputs: Improve salary bands and career progression