0003230
G.F. 323
CONFIDENTIAL
}
5
นา
1
senior posts. Moreover, the formation of a separate department would almost certainly make it more difficult to maintain the present close and effective working links between the social security side and the social work side of the Social Welfare Department. And the work involved in the creation of a new department would inevitably use up scarce management resources that would be more usefully devoted to implementing the proposed programme of social security development.
b) Crganization of social security within SWD
18.
Although it is not proposed that there should be a separate Social Security Department, it is recommended that the social security work at present done within different parts of the Social Welfare Department Headquarters should be brought together to form one administrative unit. The aim of the reorganization would be to provide a more effective chain of command linking policy on payments to the actual making of payments, It is recognised that this recommendation will have to be examined as part of the current management review. But it is considered that the case for having one unit of administration responsible for social security policy and payments is strong. the head of the unit would be Staff Grade C.
The right level for
c) Staffing of social security work
19.
Progress is being made in proposals to use more non social work trained staff in social security administration. If a satisfactory new system can be developed and agreed, there will be two considerable advantages. First, trained social workers (of whom there is a shortage) will be released for other posts which require trained workers. there will be better prospects for non trained workers to be promoted into Secondly, posts of more responsibility on the social security side. Provided that there is an adequate corps of experienced workers in social security to provide continuity in fieldwork and management, it is possible to be reasonably flexible in considering what new system of staffing should finally be adopted. It is, however, important to resolve this issue in time for the various Green Papers to be implemented smoothly.
d) Use of computers
20.
A project definition study is under way into the case for using computers for social security payments. The case will clearly be strengthened if there is to be a contributory scheme, since the record keeping could be conveniently done on a computer. If the case for using computers appears to be narginal, it would be better not to go for computers since the process of switching over to computers at a time when there is a substantial programme of social security development to implement, as well as (probably) a change to regional management, would obviously put a considerable pressure on management resources in SWD. On the other hand, if it appears it will be necessary to use computers within the next few years to keep effective the administration of social security, it will be better to do so now. To start the contributory system off on a clerical basis and then convert it to a computer basis
Page 15Page 16