Aids & Adaptations Service - Customer Co-Design Sessions

The workshops were carried out online and in person, involving staff presenting the current process of how Platform Housing Group manage requests for aids and adaptations in customers’ homes, and listening and learning from customers on how to improve the service.

What we asked

• What customer expectations of the service are, and what matters most to customers when using 
  the service
• How customers would like to communicate with us
• What kind of updates or progress information would help customers feel informed, and how customers prefer to track their case
• Customer views on appointment timescales, letters and documents, what information would be useful to see on our website, and what FAQs would make things clearer
• Discuss how we can make the process more joined-up between Platform Housing Group, the Occupational Therapists, and Local Authorities, so that customers always know what’s happening and who to contact.

What’s changing – How are we improving:

Through discussions at the workshops, customers have helped shape the redesign of our Aids & Adaptations service:

What Platform are doing:

• Creating simplified customer facing information/documentation explaining minor vs major works, 
  property suitability and key steps.
• Including straightforward signposting at all access points for customers.
• Developing clear information on when customers need to contact Platform, the Local Authority or the Occupational Therapist.
• Introducing a standard communication plan for the main stages of the journey (automated updates e.g. "we've received your referral from the local authority").
• Improving accessibility with easy-read formats, translations and consistent messaging across channels.
• Strengthening our internal triage and tenancy suitability checks to provide more consistent advice and updates

What can’t we change:

There were some suggestions made by customers that Platform Housing Group are not able to implement:

• Guaranteed timescales. These depend on Local Authority processes, funding, and Occupational Therapist capacity.
• Promising specific outcomes (e.g. a particular adaptation). Decisions are based on Occupational Therapist assessment and property suitability. 

Any other details:

A message for the customers who were involved in this project:

“Thank you for taking part in shaping our Aids & Adaptations service. Your feedback will directly influence 
how we explain the process, how we communicate and update customers, and how we support customers 
through the journey. Your insights have been invaluable.”

Ellie Kevis, Service Designer.