MHC White

Building and implementing an online portal to propel the digitisation of the Mental Health Commission’s new Decision Support Service 

 

eGovernment  | Public Sector | 

Microsoft Power Platform, Azure Data & AI,

Customer Case Study: Mental Health Commission

Project at a glance

Challenge

The Mental Health Commission’s (MHC) Decision Support Service (DSS) is a new service that supports people who face difficulties exercising their decision-making capacity. The MHC required expert IT support to build and implement an online portal for DSS that worked with their existing software framework, and was scalable, future-proof, and easy-to-use.

Solution we designed

The MHC contracted the services of Codec to develop a greenfield solution to support the new DSS team function online, integrate it with the MHC’ existing internal and external systems, and with the capacity to scale up in the coming years to accommodate the growth of active users. 

Impact we delivered

The DSS is now a digital-first service thanks to the services provided by Codec. It has provided 24/7 support to 16,000 people so far, with capacity to scale up to 220,000 people, allowing them to move away from expensive paper-based processes of a century-old legacy system to an affordable online one that helps them get support faster.

 

 

Problem

Establishing an IT infrastructure for the new Decision Support Service

The Decision Support Service (DSS) is a new statutory office which is part of the Mental Health Commission (MHC), created by the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. 

With the DSS being a new department, no IT framework was in place that enabled the regulation, support, and monitoring of the services to be delivered. A new infrastructure needed to be created from scratch which supported the new DSS team function and meet the following key objectives: 

  • Build a comprehensive system to register and review arrangements, efficiently handle objections and complaints, and initiate investigations more thoroughly and efficiently. 
  • Ensure real-time access to accurate, up-to-date information on relevant persons and their registered arrangements for informed decision-making on personal welfare, health, and financial matters. 
  • Implement an online portal, Case Management System (CMS), Panel Management, and a Complaints and Arrangements Register that were robust, future-proofed, and easy to use for a diverse range of users, including those with accessibility needs. 
  • Allow for the solution to withstand rapid change and scalability for any uncertain future requirements, through the integration of different Microsoft-based product families. 
  • Provide a service that went beyond initial delivery and was structured as a future-proof collaborative journey. 

“Five or six years ago, pre-COVID, digital transformation didn't have the traction it does now. But we made the bold decision to go digital first. Our vision was clear: to create a system that citizens could access 24 hours a day, but we needed the right technology stack and expert service to make this happen. This wasn’t just about delivering a service – it was about making a lasting difference to people who really need it.” 

John Farrelly
CEO, Mental Health Commission
Solution

Enabling the digitization of the DSS: Codec's integrated SaaS solution 

After being chosen by the MHC to carry out this project, Codec began to build the architecture with Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Pages to enable the digitization of the DSS service.

The implementation of this architecture encompassed all the following elements: 

  • System design and build: The architecture encompasses Microsoft's integrated suite from Office 365, Dynamics 365 and Azure, delivered as a service (SaaS). with Codec further enhancing Microsoft’s native attributes through a robust solution.
  • Data governance: Strong data governance was implemented using role-based security, platform-supported encryption, and comprehensive data validation to ensure data protection, maintain integrity, and utilize audit logs for traceability and compliance.
  • System testing: Comprehensive functional and non-functional testing was implemented to ensure the final solution met all business requirements and was ready for deployment 
  • Rollout/Deployment: The deployment process was launched with development in a dedicated environment, followed by committing updates to a central repository for version control. An automated build pipeline and a manual release pipeline then moved the updates through stages such as System Integration Test (SIT), User Acceptance Test (UAT), pre-production, and production, ensuring a smooth and controlled rollout.
  • Go-live support and maintenance: Codec’s Managed Service Team supported the solution after it went live, logging incidents, fixing problems, and applying any necessary changes through a dedicated incident-management system categorized by priority and business impact.
  • Project management: Codec’s Accelerated Value Creation project delivery framework was implemented to ensure an efficient and effective delivery of the full lifecycle.  
  • Post-go-live support: Codec provided this support service for an agreed period of post-go-live time which included transitioning the solution to the Managed Service Team for all three delivery phases, which addressed system downtime, emergency/contingency planning, and disaster recovery. 
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Results

A scalable, future-proof digital solution that makes a difference to tens of thousands of people

The DSS is now fully digitized service with a robust online platform that has delivered the following results: 

  • Provided access to a UI-friendly online portal that has hosted 16,000 interactions to date, with capacity to scale up to 220,000 within the next five years without any updates required. 
  • Allowed MHC to provide an improved and more efficient allocation of services to its users thanks to the system’s built-in intelligence, that allows for full resource tracking and management.
  • Integrated all of MHC’s internal and external software solutions (including  MyGovID and Stripe) and use them on a centralized platform for maximum efficiency, efficacy, and control.
  • Interoperated with other eHealth and public-IT systems thanks to the implementation of a comprehensive SaaS solution, decreasing the number of unnecessary and costly bottlenecks.
  • Facilitated over 500 decision-making agreements and 700 enduring powers of attorney. An additional 1,200 are pending, awaiting expiration of the legally mandated notice period, and nearly 4,000 more applications are in progress, with donors having completed the substantive portions.

“Codec demonstrated a steady, client-focused approach with no unwanted surprises. They delivered a digital platform that enables people across Ireland to have their decision-making arrangements in place much faster and cost-effectively, eliminating the need for costly intermediaries.”

John Farrelly

CEO Mental Health Commission IRL

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