Customer Data Hub in Lincolnshire

Why was the project initiated?

Lincolnshire County Council is implementing the first phase of a Customer Data Hub (CDH) in 2009. This will be a central repository of accurate, up-to-date customer data that is intended to be shared with the district councils.

Current data from the social care, customer relationship management (CRM) and library systems are being cleansed and integrated into the CDH. The CDH will be updated with new births and deaths by the registrars as well as details such as marriages and changes of address.

The purpose of the project is connected to the national ‘Tell Us Once’ initiative. It aims to use a common infrastructure across Lincolnshire (including GCSx – the Government Connect Secure Extranet) to improve information transfer. This will be achieved by agreeing a common messaging format to notify public sector authorities in Lincolnshire of residents’ changes of circumstances.

The project will also develop the required data sharing protocols and governance processes around data management and data quality. It is then planned that the CDH will provide the council’s ‘change of circumstance’ service to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) via GCSx as a future phase of development.

The implementation will enable the creation of a single, trusted and complete view of Lincolnshire’s customers. This will provide a single version of the truth and allow better profiling of customers to deliver services that meet customer’s needs and expectations.

Who is driving the project?

The project is being driven by a project board consisting of:

• Executive: Claire Leach, Customer Access Manager, Lincolnshire County Council
• Project Manager: Joanne Thurlow
• Senior Supplier: Mouchel and Agility Works
• Senior User: Zoe Oldroyd

What are the key success factors?

For the project to succeed the Lincolnshire authorities must:

1. achieve compliance with the Government Connect Code of Connection (CoCo)
2. physically activate the connection to Government Connect
3. agree a message format for notification of change of circumstances between the public sector authorities in Lincolnshire
4. develop required data sharing protocols and governance processes
5. amend working practices
6. train relevant staff
7. implement new processes
8. make the CDH an integral part of ongoing business process improvement.

What will be different as a result?

This project will achieve:

1. efficiencies through harmonisation of accurate customer data between business systems (local and central government)
2. targets for NI179 (Value for Money) and NI14 (Avoidable Contact)
3. secure electronic sharing of ‘change of circumstances’ data between local authorities within a county.

How will the community benefit?

The project aims to deliver the following benefits:

1. a critical requirement to deliver against government directives such as the Varney review, ‘Tell Us Once’ and shared services
2. one single notification required for change of circumstances
3. creation of a single, trusted and complete view of customers to provide a single version of the truth
4. better profiling to deliver services that meet customer’s needs and expectations
5. a reduction in avoidable contact.