Wrexham Council has beaten off stiff competition from across the UK to win a national award for its digital services.
The recently launched Wellbeing Portal, which allows people to easily report health and social care issues, was named winner of the Digital Achievement category at the Granicus UK Public Sector Awards.
The council’s Digital Services team worked closely with Children’s Social Care, Housing and Finance departments – as well voluntary and community groups – to launch the portal last autumn.
Councillor Beverley Parry-Jones, Lead Member for Corporate Services, says: “A lot of people who were struggling with health, financial or housing problems, or struggling to manage family life, didn’t know where to get support.
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“They didn’t know where to turn and often had to approach lots of organisations, tell their story numerous times, and keep chasing to get the help they desperately needed.
“So we developed the online Wellbeing Portal – a place where children, young people and families can get information or report issues, without having to fill in lots of forms with lots of different agencies.
“The portal is a fantastic example of how we’re developing online services to make life easier for people in Wrexham, and the Digital Services team worked incredibly hard on this project. Receiving this award is fantastic recognition!”
How the portal works
The portal was launched after extensive consultation with professionals and families, and is a gateway to support on a range of topics, including:
- Family life
- Young people
- Children with disabilities
- Benefits and debt
- Housing and tenancies
- Child development
- Mental wellbeing
- Safeguarding children
Rob Griffiths, Digital Services Team Leader, explains: “When people go to the portal, they only have to fill in their information once using a single form.
“Their application for support is then triaged and passed to the relevant agency – whether that’s social care, health services, housing, community support groups or someone else.
“Providing a single point of contact helps customers to navigate the sometimes confusing world of health and social care referrals, and so far over 60 families have used the portal to request support and begin their journey to getting back on their feet with the help they need.”
Visit the Wellbeing Portal to find out more or request support.
