Scrutiny successes

This year has been another successful one for our Scrutiny panel, whose tireless dedication and hard work have driven meaningful changes for Stonewater customers everywhere.

From conducting service reviews to being panellists on podcasts, Facebook Lives and attending training and development opportunities - the panel has played a critical role in identifying opportunities to enhance the way we deliver our services.

Take a look at their key highlights this year:

Damp and Mould, Reasonable Adjustments review

The panel completed their first review of the year which ran from March-May, and focused on how Stonewater can make reasonable adjustments in the damp and mould service.

The panel heard from colleagues across a variety of teams in Stonewater to learn about how we support our most vulnerable customers through the damp and mould process. They created 14 focused recommendations which we are currently working with service leads to implement.

Learning and Development day

It’s really important for us that the panel are fully supported in their role and that continuous opportunities are created to ensure they learn and grow together as a panel. In May, we hosted a hybrid development day where the panel were joined by the Chair of Customer Experience Challenge and Assurance Panel, Juliana Crowe, Chief Customer Officer, Sue Shirt, and Assistant Director of Customer Experience, Katie Teasdale. We were also joined by a trainer from customer engagement experts, TPAS. Together we worked to understand priorities, challenges of the new regulatory environment and overall strengthen relationships with one another and Stonewater.

Mini Review: Somerset Multidisciplinary Team Pilot

We’re really excited to announce that the panel completed their first mini review in July. These intense, two-day reviews aim to condense the Scrutiny process and get some useful, actionable recommendations noted to help Stonewater improve a service area. The review focused on a service area that’s been going really well at Stonewater, our Somerset Multidisciplinary Team Pilot. The remit of this review was to understand why the project has been a success and what we can learn from it to apply to other services.

Involvement Week

From 14th-18th October, Stonewater joined the celebrations for National Involvement Week, a time to celebrate the integral role customers play in shaping our services. We highlighted key successes from each of our engaged groups and demonstrated the importance of customer engagement and the new consumer standards. Our Scrutiny Panel played a key part in the week by hosting a panel session with colleagues. This was a great opportunity to hear directly from our engaged customers, who shared their thoughts on why they get involved and how they’ve made a real difference to Stonewater services so far this year.

Repairs Communications review

The panel recently wrapped up their second in-depth service review of the year which ran from October-December. As customers, the panel understand how important it is for Stonewater to complete repairs promptly and effectively, but also believe that clear and consistent communication throughout the process is crucial.

The panel heard from colleagues across Stonewater that are involved in the repairs service, as well as contractors, to understand the key touchpoints of communication in responsive repairs. They’ve created 10 recommendations for the service area and will be working with service leads in the coming months to implement them.

What’s next?

Continuing the journey of positive change, the panel is gearing up to complete one more deep-dive review and a mini-review with the aim to tackle key areas that matter most to our customers.

Additionally, they’ll be focusing on recruiting new members to strengthen the panel and ensure it remains dynamic and impactful.

If you’re interested in joining the Scrutiny Panel, please express your interest via the online form here and we’ll be in touch in the new year.

We’re excited about what’s to come and are very grateful for the panel’s hard work and commitment. Stay tuned for updates on their progress as there’s lots to come. You can also view panel review highlights on our webpage here.