Client: North Wales Police
Sector: Public Sector
Key tools or services
Lean Implementation
With the support of the picme team we have been able to deliver significant cash savings while improving our service offering to frontline policing
Mike Parkin, Business Services Director, North Wales Police
Requirement
As part of the Government's austerity programme, North Wales Police were faced with delivering cash savings of approximately 20%. In order to preserve frontline services, the organisation undertook a full review of its back office functions.
The aim of this review was:
- Improve customer service - frontline officers, stakeholders and suppliers
- Reduce frontline bureaucracy
- Develop robust, efficient processes which meet customer needs
- Provide a centralised service facility for all back office functions
- Customer-facing business partners to support frontline operations
- To develop a culture of ongoing process improvement
Response
In order to deliver the future strategy for the organisation, the Business Services Directorate needed to develop new processes, which met the needs of frontline Police, the organisation stakeholders and suppliers.
The Business Services Directorate's review initially focused on Human Resources, Training, Learning and Development, Finance and Duty Management. In-depth analysis of current processes and offerings enabled the organisation to identify where significant savings or improved customer service could be delivered.
Through the application of lean principles, these prioritised service offerings were redesigned to deliver robust, efficient customer-centric processes.
The lean transformation has delivered:
- A new invoicing process which has reduced resource demand by 60%
- 50% reduction in attendance management processing time
- 45% reduction in recruitment processing
- Improved processes for Duty Management which will reduce process demand by 80%
Once the new service offering and processes had been implemented, the next stage of the programme was to deliver a new organisational structure. This would help to reduce frontline bureaucracy and be able to meet the business challenges going forward. A centralised Shared Service Facility, with Business Partners supporting frontline senior officers, has now been implemented with the underpinning themes of customer service and continuous improvement embedded in its operation.
By looking at the needs of our customers, suppliers and stakeholders and reviewing our processes, we have a much better understanding of what can be achieved in the project longer term. We are able to maximise the benefits achieved for North Wales Police on our continuous improvement journey
Gerallt Williams, Business Manager, Project 2011
Result
Through the introduction of Lean Thinking within the Business Services Directorate, the project has delivered a 41% reduction in staffing levels within the targeted service areas. The project has generated year one savings in excess of £1million, increasing to more than £2million over the 4 year implementation period.
As with any lean transformation, active engagement of people is imperative in the drive for both short and longer term improvements.
Working in a policing environment, brings some unique challenges to an external consultancy. They have been able to actively engage with both uniformed and non-unformed members of staff and the experience of working with them has been very positive and their input, support and assistance has been second to none. The lean process, mapping and re-engineering has released considerable cashable savings and they have transferred that knowledge and experience onto a team which will be able to embed the continuous improvement principles into the organisation
Gary Kelly - Police Inspector
Looking ahead
North Wales Police is now embarking on further reviews of its Business Services Directorate to deliver additional savings in the remaining three years of its improvement programme. Central to this will be the development of Lean sigma champions who will deliver the process improvements required to meet the saving targets. It is this culture of continuous improvement which will help to eliminate waste and improve customer services on a daily basis.
Over my professional career, I have worked with a number of consultants. The team bring something very different to the table which adds considerable value. I have no hesitation about recommending them, their outcomes are most certainly value-add and our experience of working with them has been excellent throughout
Gerallt Williams
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