OLM system

The request was successful.

Dear Halton Borough Council,

I note, from the minutes of the Executive Board meeting held on Thursday, 11 April 2019, the following details:
“The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, People, on the upgrade of the current Care Management Software system. The Board was advised that the Council had been using a software system called Care First, since 1998. The system allowed social care staff and key partner agencies to gather, retain and understand the needs of individuals and families. It was reported that the system had become outdated and that its suppliers would no longer be able to support or update the product. It was noted that over recent months a review by Officers had been carried out of the available software on the market. A number of objectives were at the forefront of the process, as detailed in the report and noted as including operational requirements; organisational capacity; value for money; and a procurement route compliant with the law and the Council’s Standing Orders. One option considered was to remain with the existing supplier and purchase and install their updated and upgraded version of their software, known as Eclipse. Following this route would mean that the cost of the upgrade would not exceed the current revenue costs in place for the existing software management solution. RESOLVED: That the Board approves the upgrade and proposed developments associated with the continued use of the software management system supplied by OLM Systems Ltd for the Council’s Care Management System, as outlined in the report.”

1. “It was reported that the system had become outdated and that its suppliers would no longer be able to support or update the product.” Has OLM Systems issued a de-support notice or similar for Carefirst? If so, please provide a copy
2. “It was noted that over recent months a review by Officers had been carried out of the available software on the market.” Please provide copies of the review documents
3. “value for money” – please provide details of the financial options assessment undertaken
4. Please provide the current annual support costs for Carefirst in 2018/19, and the budgeted expenditure for the new system for each of the following years: 2019/20; 2020/21; 2021/22; 2022/23; 2023/24
5. “Following this route would mean that the cost of the upgrade would not exceed the current revenue costs in place for the existing software management solution”. I read this as meaning that the figures provided in response to Q4 will be identical, albeit allowing for indexation. If that proves not to be the case, I will need to ask follow-up questions

Yours faithfully,

David Hanson

Halton Borough Council

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Pat Oliver, Halton Borough Council

Dear Mr Hanson,

 

I am writing in response to your Freedom of Information enquiry and have
detailed further information below.

 

1.       “It was reported that the system had become outdated and that its
suppliers would no longer be able to support or update the product.” Has
OLM Systems issued a de-support notice or similar for Carefirst? If so,
please provide a copy.

 

I would confirm that OLM systems have not issued a de-support notice or
similar and the Council does not hold recorded information in this regard.

 

2.       “It was noted that over recent months a review by Officers had
been carried out of the available software on the market.” Please provide
copies of the review documents.

 

I would confirm that as part of a soft market exercise 4 suppliers made
presentations to the Council regarding their product. As part of this
process the observations and opinions of Council Officers was recorded and
this information is currently held by the Council.

 

Given that such information reflects the perceived strengths and
weaknesses of each system  the Council considers that it may have a degree
of commercial sensitivity. As a consequence the Council will seek
representations from those vendors as to the release of such information
into the public domain and upon receiving any such representations will
further consider this matter taking account of any public interest which
may be attached to such disclosure. The Council will seek to conclude this
matter as soon as possible during the next three weeks and confirm its
position on this aspect of your request.

 

3.       “value for money” – please provide details of the financial
options assessment undertaken

 

I would confirm that the Council does not hold recorded information with
regards to a financial options assessment as this was not formally
documented. In this instance value for money considerations related to the
potential cost to the authority of potentially deploying each of the
applications that were considered. Only 1 of those options represented a
solution which would not incur additional costs to the Council above
current expenditure.

4. Please provide the current annual support costs for Carefirst in
2018/19, and the budgeted expenditure for the new system for each of the
following years: 2019/20; 2020/21; 2021/22; 2022/23; 2023/24

 

Current annual support costs to the Council equate to £145,000 per annum
which I would confirm are equal to the current revenue costs in place for
the existing solution over the same period. These costs are front-loaded
as detailed below

 

2019                     £435k

2020 – 2023        £72.5k p.a.

 

5. “Following this route would mean that the cost of the upgrade would not
exceed the current revenue costs in place for the existing software
management solution”. I read this as meaning that the figures provided in
response to Q4 will be identical, albeit allowing for indexation. If that
proves not to be the case, I will need to ask follow-up questions

 

               Please refer above.

 

If you have any queries in respect of the above then please contact myself
in the first instance.

Regards

 

Pat Oliver

0151 511 7001

 

Dear Pat Oliver,

Thank you for this response, which is admirably clear.

Might I say how pleased I am to see that the Council has secured a replacement system at no additional cost. Could I just check one detail please? The response states that the support costs will work out cost neutral over a 5 year period, albeit a little front-loaded. Are there additional implementation charges associated with the move to Eclipse?

If so, please provide expected magnitudes, broken down into internal costs and supplier costs.

Yours sincerely,

David Hanson

Pat Oliver, Halton Borough Council

Dear Mr Hanson,

As part of the implementation of Eclipse the contract clearly states fixed costs. If there are any additional costs then these will be because either (A) Halton chooses to purchase additional modules (that we have so far declined) or (B) Halton requests additional resource from OLM in order to facilitate a speedier timescale to the project.

At this time neither of these are envisaged, so the information does not exist.

I hope this helps to clarify the situation.

If you have any queries in respect of the above then please contact myself in the first instance.

Regards

Pat Oliver
0151 511 7001

On 10/10/2019, 11:57, "David Hanson" <[FOI #602583 email]> wrote:

Dear Pat Oliver,

Thank you for this response, which is admirably clear.

Might I say how pleased I am to see that the Council has secured a replacement system at no additional cost. Could I just check one detail please? The response states that the support costs will work out cost neutral over a 5 year period, albeit a little front-loaded. Are there additional implementation charges associated with the move to Eclipse?

If so, please provide expected magnitudes, broken down into internal costs and supplier costs.

Yours sincerely,

David Hanson

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Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for this clear response. I wish all councils were this sharp in negotiating with their suppliers.

Yours sincerely,

David Hanson