People ‘happy’ with new service
Satisfaction levels with Scotland’s new social security service are high, according to figures published today.
The figures show that 100% of respondents rate the telephone service from Scotland’s newest public service as ‘good’ to ‘very good’. The online service also scored highly at 98%.
When commenting on how they found the service, common words used were ‘easy’, ‘straight forward’, ‘simple’, ‘quick’, ‘helpful’, ‘good’ and ‘happy’.
This report also showed that 22% of Social Security Scotland staff have a long standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability, compared to 19% in the population.
Cabinet Secretary for Social Security, Shirley Anne Somerville said:
“These figures show that we are not only putting money in the pockets of people who need it but we are doing it in a way where they feel that they have been treated well.
“The work that Social Security Scotland is doing to deliver a service that is inclusive, welcoming and there for all of us - when and where we need it - fills me with great pride.
“These results are testament to the value added by getting user feedback and testing services upfront. This allows us to do what we said we would – make this system better from day one. And this improvement isn’t just about making a form simpler – it is about how filling in that form makes people feel.
“We will continue to gather insights, learn and get even better and to build a public service that we are all protected by and protective and proud of.”
Chief Executive, Social Security Scotland, David Wallace said:
“These first results are really encouraging. I am incredibly proud of our service and the people who are delivering it. We have our work cut out to maintain this high standard but we are determined to deliver an excellent service to our clients.
“We have invested a lot in creating a culture built around dignity, fairness and respect. This includes getting it right from recruitment right through to ongoing training and development.
“Creating a diverse workforce is also a priority for us and getting this right will help us to deliver a better service. We have made good progress and we will look to build upon this as we continue to grow.”
Background:
- A full Client and Staff Insights Research Programme and initial findings can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/social-security-scotland-overview-client-staff-insights-research-programme-initial-findings/
- Social Security Scotland figures are correct as of Monday 29 April