Department of Health and DCSF - Bichard Vetting & Barring Scheme

The Challenge

The BVBS Project is part of the Government's response to the public enquiry by Sir Michael Bichard which identified failures in child protection measures, record keeping and information sharing following the conviction of Ian Huntley for the murder of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. The BVBS Project is determining the most practical way of implementing a central scheme to determine whether a person is unsuitable to work with children or vulnerable adults. It is jointly owned by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department of Health. It also has significant links and interdependencies with the Home Office, the Police and Criminal Records Bureau.

The Solution

WCL consultants were engaged to write the business case, the procurement strategy, advise on contract management, and to help officials ensure that all commercial activity met government standards and delivered value for money. This included deliverables such as cost / benefit analysis, financial modelling and financial analysis. Due to the specialist nature of the solutions being considered, WCL recruited Project Managers with relevant skills, such as qualified Chartered Accountants, to ensure recommendations were financially sound.

WCL also procured on behalf of the customer a specialist Technical Design Architect to advise on specific IT procurement, IT design and policy feasibility. Significant benefits to the customer come from the fact that WCL are also providing change and project management services to the project. This means that the commercial decisions of the project also take into consideration the impact on existing systems, staff and location of operations.

As well as linking commercial management to the strategic requirements of the project, it ensures the right links are made to policy and implementation workstrands, the wider departmental issues and cross government context of the project.

The Results

Demonstration of these benefits to the customer can be shown in the recent OGC Gateway 1 Review on the BVBS.

WCL consultants have developed such an in-depth understanding of the project and the wider cross-department and cross-government issues that they were involved in briefing of key players, including the Senior Responsible Owner, the Permanent Secretary and the Minister prior to their interviews with the OGC Review Team.

The Review Team were impressed with the efficient way the review was planned and managed, they commended the project team on the quality of the project documentation.

“WCL have done an excellent job in helping shape then drive delivery of this complex and challenging cross government change programme.

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