SSRG Newsletter - June 2001:  ADSS Information Management Group (IMG)

The ADSS has re-structured its Committees in light of some of the key issues of the current social care agenda. Now there is a Social Inclusion & Health Committee, chaired by John Beer (DSS Southampton), and a Standards and Performance Committee chaired by Tony Hunter (DSS East Riding of Yorkshire). It is this latter committee which will be the parent committee for the IMG. Following these changes the IMG has a new chair, Colin McKinless (DSS Tameside), previously the vice-chair.

The work for the coming year will focus on Information development including:

• performance assessment and management information;
• information sharing with the NHS to ensure effective representation of social care interests in the developing NHS Information Strategy both at policy level and on specific work programmes;
• information age developments such as e-local government to ensure that social care issues are fully addressed as part of the information age dimension of modernising government;
• special projects such as developing the website for communication, good practice and discussion as part of the contribution to the Quality Strategy and taking part in the national social services conference.

National Social Services Conference

The National Social Services Conference will be held in Harrogate from 17-19 October 2001. The Conference is organised jointly by the Local Government Association (LGA) and the ADSS. Between 400-600 delegates attend including Councillors and senior managers from social care and local authorities and senior managers & professionals from Government, the NHS and the independent sectors. This year's theme is Social and Health Care: Caring through Change'.'

Information Exchange

Once again the IMG will be organising an Information Exchange throughout the Conference, through the support of Sheridan Systems Limited (SSL). The Exchange operates as a drop-in place and can be used for show-casing particular projects, accessing databases or websites for illustration purposes and providing contact points for delegates who want to know more, or to know what is going on in their locality. In order to be successful the Exchange needs a database of information. Last year it contained examples of information support projects from over 60 Councils and the aim is to increase the number this year.

Invitation to Participate

It is important that it contains lots of information about work going on across the country. If you have any work or projects in hand, or completed over the last 12 months that you would like to tell other people about please let Patricia Walker know and she will ensure the information is passed on the Simon Lowes, the IMG Support Officer.

Patricia Walker, Policy Team, Haringey Social Services, 40 Cumberland Road, London N22 7SG Tel 0208 489 3062 email: patricia.walker@haringey.gov.uk

Further information about the IMG is available via the ADSS (http://www.adss.org.uk) or IMG website (http://www.ssimg.freeserve.co.uk)