In this issue

We are very pleased to announce some exciting system enhancements that have recently been developed in the Police Referral System with a proposed September 2020 release. These enhancements will allow additional information where required to be passed more easily between QPS and Service Providers. As we know, client details can change quickly, and having the most up to date information is crucial in making contact and offering support. QPS officers will be able to update/add the following details on a previously submitted referral:

• Address
• Mobile Phone
• Home Phone
• Work Phone
• Email
• Additional Information (max 250 characters)
• Safety concerns contacting the client

From a Service Provider perspective, where an update has been received on a referral an ‘update’ badge will be visible in the referral grid list as indicated below.

Unread Referrals
An information update is referenced in SRS as an ‘unread referral’ and a new search filter will be available in the referral grid (Home > Referrals) to provide the ability to filter by unread referrals. This will display all referrals that are either new or have an update that requires acknowledgment in both the Received and Accepted tabs.

Where to find the updated information
The updates made by QPS after a referral has been received will display within the Referral History section of the referral as per Figure 4 – Referral History below.

This QPS Referral Update will contain the updated information submitted after the Police Referral was initially received by the service provider, these updates require acknowledgment by the receiving service provider. Acknowledgment of the update is via the Acknowledge Update button.

Figure 4 – Referral History

In addition to the SRS enhancements for updates to a referral, an email notification will be sent to the service provider to advise a referral has been updated. In addition to the initial email notification regarding an update to a received referral, email reminders will also be sent to the service providers every 2 business days if the QPS Referral Update has not been acknowledged (to those service providers who have nominated for email notifications). Email notifications will not be received once the referral update has been acknowledged.

The Referral Coordination Service will prepare a Tip Sheet regarding these changes and post this on our Police Referrals website under the ‘Resources Tab’. Please don’t hesitate to call with any questions.

QPS has also been busy conducting some work in relation to providing additional information to the relevant DFV service providers only. This information forms part of the QPS Protective Assessment Framework, known as the ‘the PAF’.

When this new development is complete, DFV service providers only will see a new section within the Referred Issue/s portion of the received referral titled ‘Protective Assessment Framework’. This will allow for QPS to send PAF indicators to relevant service providers.

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 QPS was required to defer their development work in relation to this enhancement but are trying extremely hard to have this functionality implemented soon. Due to the development delay, this field WILL display with the following information within the referral received by the Service Provider but NO indicators can be passed from QPS until work is completed. Please see PAF ‘Not stated’ Placeholder below as will be viewed in SRS.

We will keep you informed of these changes as they progress.

Chris’s corner…

The information flow between Police and Service Providers is one of the key aspects of successful outcomes for Police Referrals. With this in mind, September will see a number of system enhancements aimed at improving the information that is provided to service providers, and any updates or new information is able to be easily and securely provided. The new ability to update referrals will mean that Police Officers can provide new contact details and any additional information. Updating Officers will also be asked again about whether there are any safety concerns with contact the client, just as they already do at the time of submitting every referral. Domestic and Family Violence Service providers will also see a placeholder appear in their referrals for where they will start receiving information drawn from the Protective Assessment Framework. This work required coordination between internal and external stakeholders and whilst the capacity to receive the information and place it in the referral will be completed, the other half being the capacity to send the information has been held up amongst delayed projects due to COVID 19. So initially, our DFV Service Providers will see the information box, but until the second side of the enhancements gets done the information won’t come across.

Further details of these enhancements are shown in another article within this Bulletin.

Until next month, thank you for all of your work in helping to build safe, caring and connected communities, but most importantly, stay safe.

A/Senior Sergeant Chris Stafford