KEY DECISION
POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER FOR BEDFORDSHIRE
Title and Reference – PCC/D/033
Subject: Review of Bedfordshire Victim Care Services (formally known as Signpost)
Report of: Police and Crime Commissioner
Date: 10.01.2022
Summary:
A decision paper and review were drafted by the Head of Delivery, Wayne Humberstone, and Head of Victim Care, Simon Powell, regarding a review of Bedfordshire Victim Care Services (formally known as Signpost).
The review details the necessary changes that are required to both continue to offer an appropriate level of service and indeed meet the additional requirements and expectations with emerging referrals emanating from other crime types (Fraud. ASB etc). The document will give details of the suggested “Roadmap” for the future direction of Bedfordshire Victim Care Services and includes elements around Staffing, Hours of Operation and Core Functions.
Currently Bedfordshire Victim Care Services (BVCS) deals with around 7000 referrals per year, with an aspiration to achieve and sustain 9000 referrals being dealt with each year. BVCS are currently on target for over 8000 for year 2021.
Internal promotion of BVCS across all the various Bedfordshire Police Departments, now Covid restrictions are being lifted can progress. This will involve VCC’s or Supervisors visiting the various Departments to provide case study examples of how a client was supported and to deliver a talk about BVCS and its benefits to victims of crime.
Proposed Revised Performance Framework
To ensure that the full contribution and benefits that the BVCS team are being fully understood a revision to the existing performance metrics is required to ensure that we are measuring both Quantitively and Qualitatively.
Recommendation:
To note decision
Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner
I hereby approve the recommendations above.