2 Tackling the variable quality of
provision
10. The programmes to help disabled people find and
retain work are managed by Jobcentre Plus and contracted out to
approximately 500 providers in the public, private and voluntary
sectors.[26] Disability
Employment Advisors within Jobcentre Plus offices have an important
role in finding suitable support that meets the needs of their
clients, and they therefore need to be able to rely upon the providers
in their area to deliver good quality services. Careful monitoring
of providers' activity is essential if the Department is to deliver
quality assistance.
11. Workstep is aimed at those disabled people furthest
from obtaining work and who need higher levels of support. There
are more than 200 providers of Workstep, some of whom have very
few clients and have poor records of helping people to get into
or remain in employment. Some programmes include a number of clients
remaining from the older supported employment programmes and they
are unlikely to match the progress achieved by providers who specialise
in clients who are less institutionalised. Nevertheless, there
remains the need for a careful examination of the service that
is being provided and consideration of whether poorer performers
are delivering an adequate service.
12. Between 2002 and 2005 the Adult Learning Inspectorate,
which has a remit to inspect Workstep providers, reported that
the educational and training element of over 50% of Workstep places
was 'unsatisfactory'.[27]
The review is based on an annual self-assessment report that inspectors
use to inform their judgement about the effectiveness of the provider.
The Department advised that its Workstep contract management and
the Adult Learning Inspectorate Provider Development Unit worked
with those providers judged unsatisfactory to help them improve.
Later inspections showed an improvement in performance, with 93%
of those re-inspected shown to be satisfactory or better. The
Department said that since Workstep became subject to inspections
in 2002, 37 providers (25%) have withdrawn in agreement with Jobcentre
Plus. Of the contracts withdrawn, eight related to an impending
inspection or were the result of the inspection.[28]
13. The New Deal for Disabled People is aimed at
disabled people who are closer to being able to work and who typically
need less assistance and support than those eligible for Workstep.
In 2004-05, 97,800 people were participating. Contracts for New
Deal for Disabled People are all negotiated with each individual
provider and the availability of certain types of assistance varies
across the country. Limited numbers of providers in some areas
may lead the Department to accept poorer quality than it would
in a more competitive market.
14. Providers of the New Deal for Disabled People
may be deliberately picking people who are easier to help, at
the expense of the more difficult to help.[29]
The contract for New Deal for Disabled People specifies that providers
must accept all self-referred people who are eligible. However,
such a stipulation does not preclude subtle encouragement to the
easiest to place and discouragement of those who would require
more effort. The Department is aware of the issue and reported
that it has altered contract incentives to help alleviate the
problem.[30]
15. Although Jobcentre Plus has quality monitoring
arrangements in place, limited resources meant that its inspections
of providers were not always undertaken according to plan.[31]
With more than 500 providers there will never be sufficient resources
to undertake all the necessary quality and performance monitoring,
which is an additional justification for the Department giving
consideration to reducing the number of organisations involved.
There does however need to be sufficient provision, particularly
in areas with limited number of suppliers.
16. Jobcentre Plus is undertaking an overall review
of labour market programmes, looking at more efficient models
of delivery.[32] It has
significantly reduced the number of providers already and indicated
that it will move toward a prime contracting model, whereby smaller
organisations deliver for a main contractor. This model should
reduce the cost of administration and improve the Department's
ability to monitor quality, while maintaining access to the smaller
specialist providers that cater for smaller sub-sets of the disabled
population.[33]
17. The Comptroller and Auditor General's Report
found that the level of service received by disabled people varied
across the country.[34]
The Department is making positive steps to provide a more consistent
service. It has professionalised its disability employment advisory
service in the new Jobcentre Plus offices and has revised the
learning and development opportunities for the Disability Employment
Advisers.[35]
26 C&AG's Report, para 5 Back
27
ibid, para 3.13 Back
28
Qq 17, 104-106; Ev 3 Back
29
C&AG's Report, para 2.13; Qq 18, 31 Back
30
Qq 19-21, 97 Back
31
C&AG's Report, paras 3.10-3.12 Back
32
Q 16 Back
33
Q 17 Back
34
C&AG's Report, paras 3.2-3.8 Back
35
Q 60 Back
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