- Conference
- 2008 Police Staff Service Group Conference
- Date
- 26 June 2008
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes that the National Contact Management Programme (NCMP) aims to improve public/police interaction through the introduction of a standardised approach to contact management and the provision of guidance, which serves to support, shape and drive improved citizen focussed service delivery.
Conference further notes that, when effectively implemented, the National Contact Management Programme is meant to bring about:
1)Enhanced efficiency, through consistent standards and working practices;
2)Improved understanding of customer expectation;
3)Improved understanding of demand;
4)A better understanding of what good practice amounts to within the contact environment.
Conference believes that UNISON should support the National Contact Management Progamme on the understanding that its design and implementation takes account of the aims and objectives of UNISON’s “Call of Duty” action plan for police control room staff. UNISON’s “Call of Duty” campaign is all about highlighting the vital work carried out by police control room staff. It is about the obvious link between decent working conditions and a world class public service.
Working in a police control room can be one of the most satisfying jobs around, but many staff face unacceptable conditions of work. Stress, inadequate staffing, poor management and health and safety problems are damaging performance in many forces.
UNISON wants to work with stakeholders and employers to improve our members’ working lives and thereby raise service quality.
Conference calls upon the Service Group Executive to campaign for ACPO and the NPIA to incorporate the action plan from UNISON’s “Call of Duty” campaign in the design of the National Contact Management Programme, namely:
a)Action to address chronic understaffing in police control rooms;
b)The development of a jointly agreed demand management tool to enable staffing resources to be accurately matched to demand;
c)The abandonment of the call centre ethos in favour of a service focussed on high caller satisfaction levels, not “wrap” times;
d)Proper health and safety risk assessments, including software ergonomic and assistive technology applications;
e)A national pay structure and consistent terms and conditions for control room staff;
f)Better training and development, plus a rewarding career structure.