Professional advice for the present and the future

Client

The Saint Francis Hospice in Essex, one of the largest adult hospices in the UK, serves around one million people from Brentwood, Havering, Barking & Dagenham and Redbridge.

The challenge

For 20 years, Saint Francis Hospice's IT system had managed both funding and patient records, alongside all the general hospice admin functions, including HR. But these databases ran separately without any communication between them.

The charity faced a dilemma common to many charities: it had no funding to improve its IT system and without an efficient IT system there was no possibility to increase the charity's funds. Therefore, a full strategic review of the IT system was fundamental.

Sara Glover, Saint Francis Hospice's Director of Finance & Support Services, contacted iT4Communities to find a professional who could provide a three-year strategic development plan, identify current IT strengths and weakness and recommend appropriate staff training in relevant new technologies.

Our help

For three months, Chris Harvey, an iT4Communities volunteer with 40 years of experience in a non-commercial setting, worked on a report with expert recommendations and an implementation plan. This report showed value for money within a realistic budget and also suggested upgrades suitable to the skills and experience of the Hospice's staff.

The result

• Plans for integrated technology that will allow the charity to generate more funding

What our client said

This has given us a great plan to take forward and should have a significant benefit for the hospice over the coming few years.

Sara Glover, Saint Francis Hospice

6th June 2008