Thursday 10 November 2016

Boss Gets the Push

Justice News

9 November 2016
Update from Paul Hindson

I’m really sad to tell you that I will shortly be leaving Working Links. I am very disappointed about this because I am wholly committed to the work that we are doing and wanted to see it right through to a steady state position and beyond over the next few years. However, Working Links has taken a decision to join up the justice and employability parts of the business under one Executive Director and it has chosen Brian Bell to undertake that role. He will assume full responsibility for both sides of the business from 1 January 2017.

When telling me of the decision, Phil Andrew was very complimentary about the work I have done for Working Links since joining in May 2015 and he has followed this up with very fulsome praise in the messages sent to senior managers and the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), which I feel proud of.

I am disappointed to be leaving before all the changes we are currently implementing have settled. I realise that the Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) are going through a very challenging period of transition at the moment and I know that is painful for some people, but I am very happy to see that through and support all of you through that period to the best of my ability and in line with the principles I 
believe in. I will keep doing that as well as I can until I leave. 

In the coming weeks I will be handing over responsibility for the work of the business. So I thought it would be useful to reflect on how the justice work is performing and where we have got to on our transformation journey at this point. In terms of how we are doing the answer is: extremely well. Despite all the changes that are going on you continue to perform to a very high level. At our latest Justice Management Meeting on 4 November Simon Curtis presented the most recent performance data and told us that, for all of our CRCs together, we are the joint second highest performer on Transforming Rehabilitation. As you know, we are also subjected to numerous audits and close scrutiny of our work and this continues to report good findings, particularly the latest programme audits in the South West as well as very positive reports from the Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) review in Wales. We also had Wales at the top of the risk audit that took place earlier in the year and the positive references to Through the Gate (TTG) in Parc. 

We continue to meet regularly with the MOJ and report on our work and our plans for transformation and they have not identified any significant areas of concern with our service delivery, aside from some areas for improvement that I’ll mention below. This is down to all of you and I have immense respect for what you have accomplished whilst all the changes are going on around you. You have also achieved it with no reduction in caseload and within budget. Thank you for the effort that has gone into making that happen and for remaining focused on the work that really matters: the services we are delivering to our users.

I don’t want to sound glib though: there are problems that we need to address and some of these will really test us. I have picked out a few below:
  • Sickness levels – apart from in BGSW CRC we continue to have high levels of sickness and we will continue to address this. 
  • Positive engagement – I believe that we can do a lot more to develop a positive, forward looking culture that is shared across the CRCs and the rest of the business. At the moment I still think there is a lot of suspicion in the CRCs, which was probably aggravated by the use of the term “The Working Links Way”. We would be in a better position when everybody in the CRCs feels that they are a valued part of an organisation with shared ownership of a culture created by everyone. 
  •  Areas for improvement – we have a few areas where we are not delivering as well as we should. For instance, we are not delivering intensive Community Payback at present and the MOJ does want us to address that via our new Community Payback (CP) model. 
Turning now to the question of where we have got to on our transformation journey, again, this is a very positive message in relation to operations. All of the new developments are moving ahead in line with the plan. Obviously all of our TTG services are up and running and have been for some time and we continue to make improvements. We have also implemented nearly our entire new partner delivered services, such as accommodation support and mentoring. The Operational Hubs (OHs) are rolling out and gradually picking up more and more of the administrative work. Similarly, we are building up the In Touch case management services in the hubs. In terms of the wider case management, the BRAG methodology is rolling out successfully and we are now introducing the new case allocation and induction arrangements. The Community Hubs (CHs) have received a lot of very positive attention and continue to provide us with a uniquely community based delivery option. We are on track to set up the interventions teams across the business and the plans for Community Payback have been presented to the MOJ and will now roll out through to April. Alongside this, all of the people changes are on track and the voluntary departure schemes have been very effective.

But, again, I’m not pretending there aren’t challenges. Here are a few:
  • Community Hubs – for the model to work effectively case managers need to use CHs far more than they are currently. The model assumes that a significant proportion of cases will be seen in a hub during their sentence. To achieve this we need to ensure that CHs are accessible to all case managers across the area and that they are fully used. 
  • Front office administration – we have a shortfall of administrators left in the front office to deal with front office tasks following the move of admin services into the OHs and we are trying to remedy this.
  • Operational Hubs / front office caseload balance – as we roll out In Touch case management we have some spikes in the front office caseload. We have developed a case migration methodology to address this, but, in the short term, we need to ensure that front office case managers are not overloaded. 
  • Infrastructure – there are still quite a lot of infrastructure issues that are making life harder, not least the IT arrangements. Hopefully these will be remedied as we move off the MOJ systems in the coming months. 
But, let’s remember, that this is a major transformation of the way in which we deliver our services and I think it’s an immense testimony to the commitment and skill of all of you – probation directors, admin assistants, LDU leads, PSOs, everyone – that things are going so well. Yes, we have issues to address, and, yes, further risks lie ahead – but we have also come a very long way in a short period of time thanks to all of you.

I want to highlight this point, and end this week’s update, by referring back to the Justice Management Meeting last Thursday. At those meetings I’ve tried to save time on the agenda for local people to attend and ask questions or make suggestions. We were in Exeter on Thursday and we had around ten people turn up to ask us questions during lunch time. The questions they asked were thoughtful, reflective and intelligent and demonstrated a detailed understanding of probation and a commitment to contribute to future developments. I found this really heartening, as I have found in all the local interactions that I’ve had with you. I think we’ve got great people who have an awful lot to offer and I really hope you continue to get the opportunity to demonstrate the value of your contribution. I want to end by thanking all of you for offering so much to me during my time here.

78 comments:

  1. Mr Hindson! Do you honestly believe that we swallow this spin? You sound like a petulant child who daddy has reprimanded and now you sit blubbering and mumbling about all the great things you have done, frequently exagerating or blatantly lying. If you have achieved so much then why are you being replaced by Mr Bell? You have failed to listen and take on board what experienced staff and managers have told you ftom the outset and allowed a situstion where CRC are in dispute with unions and ACAS over sweeping cuts. You fail to listen to staff who are saying they are struggling unfer huge pressure and only measure success through targets. Then you wonder why the sickness levels are high. No doubt you will fall on your feet whilst we have to put up eith another keener, Mr Bell who will stamp his own footprint on the CRC arse before getting the boot himself

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  2. If the WL CRCs are second best performers, how bad must the other ones be?!

    Having said that, my level of respect for Paul Hindson has gone up, a little, with this message - at least there is some recognition that things are not going well, even if he lays the blame squarely at the door of the staff.

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    1. Where is this league table?

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    2. To he honest every crc claim to be the best, or near too. It's getting borin.

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    3. They are not 2nd in the national tables that I have seen.

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  3. "... I know that is painful for some people, but I am very happy to see that..."

    "We would be in a better position when everybody in the CRCs feels that they are a valued part of an organisation..."

    Who can square that circle?

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  4. The reality is that all the old Probation Managers will go, CRC`s have one interest the bottom line. The mantra of the private sector is make the correct amount of profit or you`ve gone. He will have had a golden handshake to stop an ET hearing. So he will take his large payoff and join some other corporate or state body and continue raking in the cash. They are simply worthless individuals whose only concern is how much money they can make. Morals, belief care or concern really don`t exist for them.

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  5. "Working Links has taken a decision to join up the justice and employability parts of the business under one Executive Director".

    I'm very surprised this has been announced without any opposition, the unions should be all over it. This is a major concern, particularly because the to areas do not go together and also with the legacy of the 'work programme' that was "worse than doing nothing". Justice/probation will play second fiddle to their established employment contracts which are already run by Brian Bell. A senior manager with a management education, and we know that any "probation expertise" will be put aside to make way for whatever stripping-out and commercialisation comes next.

    This shift means that all probation CRC's run by Working Links are now dead in the water. If they get away with it then what will this and other CRC's do next?!

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    1. Hmm, where are the NOMS/MoJ CRC Contract Police are when you need them?

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    2. From the NAO report dated Apr 2016:

      "8 NOMS has established robust and thorough contract management and assurance arrangements..."

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    3. From Ian Poree's Oct 2014 letter to local authority areas regarding contract management of TR:

      "The contract management of the services commissioned by the Transforming Rehabilitation Programme will be delivered by a new Rehabilitation Services Contract Management (RSCM) function in the National Offender Management System (NOMS). I will lead the contract management function at NOMS Board level and supported by the MoJ Director for Procurement as well as by three Deputy Directors, each responsible for a geographic area (North, South West and Midlands, South East and London). Contact details for each of the Deputy Directors are attached to this letter."

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  6. I wonder if the CRCs are as generous as the 2015/16 accounts show NOMS to have been?

    "Within fruitless payments and constructive losses is a loss totalling £9,158,815, following the decision to terminate a contract to develop a bespoke tagging product for use in Electronic Monitoring. Of this total, £5,235,000 is the termination payment to the contractor, which is classed as a fruitless payment, and £3,923,815 is other expenditure incurred over the course of the contract, which is recognised as constructive losses.
    In 2015-16, NOMS recognised 24 special payments over £300,000 which were:
    • five compensation payments to operational members of NOMS staff injured in the course of their duties: £316,512; £465,159; £541,922; £1,000,000 and £1,021,624
    • two compensation payments to prisoners: £321,797; £451,746
    • 17 compensation payments are due to contracted service providers totalling £23,050,000"

    That's a total of around £36M of public money handed out, of which £4M was compensation to staff & prisoners whilst £32M was handed out to 'contracted service providers'. This only takes account of payments which exceed £300,000. There may be (and probably are) many more undisclosed payments below he £300K threshold.

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  7. Look pocketing 161k as a thank plus 9 months salary is not a bad deal. The man done good.

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  8. It's falling apart in bgsw crc! Look at HQ, a few remaining staff squirreled away at the far end of a completely empty floor, turning queensway into a white elephant whilst frontline staff are in not fit for purpose offices such as CEED in St Paul's and struggling with high caseloads, poor IT system, staff sickness and constant change with everything from admin. to phone number changes. Don't believe the claim of brilliant stats. It is a lie. I can only think that WL are fiddling the figures. We are strggling to manage and still getting bullied with constant requests to keep up with targets whilst waiting for more staff to leave under VS. Once that happens targets will go awry. There is zero interest in public protection above SPO level. Basically PO/ PSO's are on their own with little support. Haven't had supervision for months despite complex and risky cases.

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    1. Surely complex and risky cases were said to only be allocated to NPS staff according to what Parliament was told, unless for sake of continuity a case remained with a staff member who was transferred to a CRC from a Probation Trust at the outset. There will be some of those cases still as they could have been serving long prison sentences or be on lengthy parole/life licences - though I suspect the numbers are very small.

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    2. When cases are or become complex and risky either the CRC do not escalate to NPS, or the NPS refuses to accept that risk has escalated. So lots of complex and risky cases in CRC's, worsened in some CRC's which have an unwritten policy to assess all cases as low risk of harm!!

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    3. .. worsened further in CRC's that have hardly any probation officers or experienced staff.

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    4. From a recent contributor:-

      No, hence the problem with the numbers delivered to the CRC's. You are NPS if you meet any of the following:

      A RSR score of 6.9 or more (risk of serious recidivism scale) you might be assessed as medium risk but a young person with a load of criminal damage convictions will exceed the score.

      If you are assessed as high risk - obviously

      Anyone convicted of a Mappa eligible offence (and the list expanded) and they get a sentence of 12 months imp or more - which could be suspended sentence too.)

      All those subject to deportation

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    5. "See Appendix 2.5, aka 'the hidden agenda': NPS are so overloaded with cases but not enough staff that wherever possible cases will either remain with or be reallocated to the relevant CRC. The accompanying scores will be recalculated as necessary to support this and the decision endorsed by a senior NPS manager."

      A fictitious policy, but probably not too far from the reality. Still, with DJT soon to move into the Whitehouse, how real is reality?

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  9. STOP-PRESS: Tonight at 9pm channel 4. The secret life of prisons' . Footage from various prisons showing what really goes on. Not to be missed.

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    1. We already know what happens and it only shows the bad. There are inmates that don't get involved and there are prisons with decent wings. Maybe they should extend it and show all the dodgy dealings that take place in probation waiting areas and outside the offices.

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  10. If probation services and employment services can be so easily joined together, is there even a place for probation officers? I bet this is the whole reason why the "responsible officer" title was introduced as in Working Links CRC one can be an employment advisor today, an offender manager tomorrow and then sent to lock cell doors the next!

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  11. Hindson not problem here. Many ambitious, career climbing, Probation managers have exited or become shadows. I have witnessed their bright faces become ashen and hung, their eyes desperate, all belies their rhetoric of fresh pastures and new horizons.

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    1. It's many of these career climbing SPO's that covered up the shafting that TR was bringing in and kept the show on the road until shaft-time!!

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    2. CEO's have the flag raised and those who do not salute get, at best, sidelined and ignored. Takes a brave man or woman to stand against. Nature of beast, not justifying just my observation.

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  12. Actually perturbed by what I've seen on channel 4 happening in our prisons.

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    1. Me too. Read about, heard about but not witnessed and truly shameful state of affairs.

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    2. A shameful reflection on our society.

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    3. So many of our clients are just plain terrified for the duration.

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  13. Prison crisis on bbc1 news tonight, on after Trump story, in a mo

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  14. Probation Officer10 November 2016 at 22:07

    After watching Ch4 just now, I think this is the point where Liz Truss should be resigning or sacked!!

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    1. .... although many of us were already aware of what goes on in prison, and this was just scratching the surface!!

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  15. The situation is utterly barbaric and de-humanising. Some mention here of 'only showing the bad'. That is cold comfort when people are being failed in this way. How bad do things have to get before something is done. The deterioration over the past 10 years is truly shocking!

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  16. I work in a prison and I was oblivious to this. Terrible. Shocking. Upsetting.

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    1. How can you be oblivious? Do staff not speak out? As a PO I have been aware of this for years. Prisoners tell me what goes on, the violence, drug use, intimidation, suicides and self harm. Their families calling me in desperation being blackmailed in order to pay of drug debts. I call the prison to report it but am basicalky ignored by an irritable member of staff who says 'we can't stop them using drugs'.

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  17. I have a client who is highly motivated to keep "clean" and is resisting going to the drug treatment wing because there is a) huge quantities of drugs there b) pressure from suppliers to use. This was verified by staff.

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  18. BBC news mentioned that the prisons are struggling to recruit and 2000 positions are not filled! Did I hear that correctly? Truss sayscshevwill recruit 2,500 new staff to ease situation ( not a crisis apparently ) is that over and above the 2000 empty posts or does that mean they will simply try to fill the existing posts? If they are unable to recruit, and more importantly retain staff then this is not going to make much difference.

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    1. And after this programme and because of the pittance of a salary, it's unlikely any decent staff would be recruited. In fact how many unemployed are now sitting thinking working in a prison could be a nice little earner!!

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    2. Hoe much do prison officers get I could do it I'm trained it combat and anti drugs ? Who is employing

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    3. About 9 pounds an hour! I have earned more cleaning!

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    4. Advert out from HMP Portland. 37hrs £20.751 pa . This includes 17% unsocial hours payt. Works out at abt £8.74 an hour.

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  19. I obviously manage staff and not prisoners. I have an office and don't walk the floor so I wouldn't know unless I was told.

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    1. Comment to 22.35

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    2. What so staff don't talk? I've never come across anyone that works in a prison that doesn't know what goes on.

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    3. You need to calm down 22.50. You're very aggressive

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    4. Oh come on! I would hardly say that is 'very aggressive'. Perhaps you have difficulty with people who speak their mind?

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  20. Ms Truss has said that she will fund a legion of prison officers. Sorted. That we are bleeding (trained and professional) staff faster than we can recruit them at six bob an hour will not make the news

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  21. 22.48, so you manage staff and they don't tell you what is going on? I suggest that you consider why that is. Surely as part of the establishment you should ensure you know what is going on? This is something we here so many times when whistle blowers finally come forward. A culture where managers are not aware of the situation or turning a blind eye. It is everyone's responsibility and we are all cogs in the wheel. I have had to leave a job after whistle blowing but better that than live with the guilt of doing nothing.

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    Replies
    1. Staff don't talk to 22:48 for fear of being called "very aggressive"!

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  22. So once again, think twice, think three times before recalling

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    1. No the offender should think twice before breaching the licence which gets them recalled!

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    2. 22.57 you can't make that call. I manager makes the call to recall in our area

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    3. Lol. Stop blaming the manager. The initial recall decision is by the probation officer. You complete the report and managers endorse it.

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    4. The manager decides then I write the report otherwise I could write a report for nothing. Deerrrr

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    5. But you go to your manager and say "I think I need to recall this person because ....". They agree or disagree and so it is your decision initially and the recall started with you. If what you're saying is that your manager goes through your caseload and independently identifies cases requiring recall then they have too much time on their hands and you are incompetent.

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    6. "Manager decides. You listen".

      Who are you working for, Hitler?! Or are you just too cowardly to acknowledge that it is YOU that recalled all those offfnders. Stop blaming your manager!

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    7. Lol, I know a few po's that blame it all on the manager, and a few others that can't stand up without their manager telling them what to do. Usually they're PQF trained so god help us when the PQiP's qualify.

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    8. Yes I agree 23:31

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    9. Some people clearly cannot take orders or listen. Managers need consulting with as they have greater expertise so they make the big calls

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    10. Po's make a judgement that a license has been breached. Managers are actually endorsing what the po wants to do.

      Many managers don't have greater expertise. Stop selling yourself short.

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    11. In most cases if a po doesn't want an offender recalled they won't be. If a po wants an offender recalled it will generally happen.

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    12. Most offenders are recalled for licence breaches not reoffending. Po's make the recall happen and get their managers to agree.

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    13. Spo decides. Maybe in your area responsibility has been shifted to po but I wouldn't trust a pso making such a call.

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    14. Po or Pso, the Spo wouldn't know unless you told them. So you make the call, Spo endorses, Aco endorses, Ppcs endorses. You should really accept the power and responsibility you have over a recall

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  23. Can anyone tell me... in the E3 process was anyone allowed to put prison as first choice? I'm hearing some areas were banned from doing so. Was this the same for everyone?

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    1. I've heard from some that put local prisons as first choices. In recent weeks I'm sure most regret the decision, especially as it's being suggested we could be forced to take on prison Officer tasks!

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    2. So people were able to choose local prisons. Why were some areas blocked in doing this?

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    3. Probably differed with divisions and managers.

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    4. Or were some areas just saying prison not an option just to keep staff in the community?

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    5. Possibly. It's not unusual for managers to lie to us as directed by senior managers.

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  24. Jim. Looks like the documentary gas gotten to some people as we're close to moronic comment breakout listening to this so called "manager" and the "prison recruitee"

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    1. I think the only person the documentary would have really got to is Liz Truss. This is all very embarrassing under her watch as a justice secretary, particularly the footage of the HMP Bedford riot and recent HMP Pentonville escape which followed her bland speech.

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  25. A prison officer is recovering after he had his throat cut with a razor blade by an inmate at HMP Isle of Wight.

    http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2016-11-10/prison-officer-has-throat-slashed-by-inmate-at-iow-jail/

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  26. Jim. Looks like the documentary gas gotten to some people as we're close to moronic comment breakout listening to this so called "manager" and the "prison recruitee"

    I agree. The more moronic comments have been removed - very disappointing but it happens from time to time.

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  27. Interesting document relating to noms contract management in the south-west, freely available online

    http://democracy.plymouth.gov.uk/documents/s60439/Item%2012%20-%20Introducing%20the%20NOMs%20Contract%20Management%20Team.pdf

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    1. Introducing the NOMs Contract
      Management Team Devon, Dorset & Cornwall

      Our Purpose

      • The Rehabilitation Services Directorate (RSD) will manage the delivery of contracted rehabilitation and electronic monitoring services, enabling improved
      outcomes in public protection and reducing reoffending.

      • The RSD will ensure the delivery of quality end to end offender management services through new service integration management systems involving the National Probation Service and Resettlement Prisons and rovide assurance that the interfaces between the CRCs and other delivery providers are working.

      • The RSD will drive continuous improvement and innovation across the offender services system across England and Wales by building collaborative value enhancing business to business relationships and providing effective contract management.

      Our Approach

      Operational Contract Management

      Operational contract management and oversight of related interfaces with other providers
      To provide day to day assurance on CRC operations.
      To monitor the performance of the CRC by reviewing the data provided by PAG and dip testing service quality.
      To foster a partnership with the CRC and develop good relationships with key stakeholders.
      To facilitate dispute resolution and contract change

      Commercial Contract Management

      To provide commercial advice and assurance of contractual compliance to operational contract managers.
      To impact assess commercial implications surrounding change.
      To provide commercial sign off of invoices as part of the overall financial governance regime.

      Operational Assurance

      Provide independent assurance of operational compliance with contract terms through in depth reviews throughout the supply chain.
      Work with stakeholders to Identify assurance priorities and incorporate them within the quality assurance plans.
      Implementation of the assurance framework.
      Operational Assurance of service quality and delivery through in depth reviews.

      System Wide Development
      To ensure that the system as a whole is working effectively for all stakeholders and improve overall long term performance.
      Develop and monitor new tools to continuously assess overall end-to-end system health.
      Establish new industry level strategic relationship management forum to encourage investment in system wide improvement opportunities.
      Co-ordinate system wide delivery of improvement opportunities making use of cross sector activities and whole system operating model.
      Develop new approaches to quality assurance and raising system wide standards.

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    2. Translation required. Plain English Society x

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