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New Ways of Working

GCSX offers a new, secure communications platform upon which to build joined up, effective and efficient public services and create new and improved ways of working.

The DWP’s Data Access Policy is such that it has ceased provision of RESTRICTED data and the receipt of personal sensitive data from local authorities through means other than a government approved secure communications channel (i.e. GSi connections like GCSX).
The policy applies to all local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland where GCSX (or GSX for Scotland) connections can be or have been made available.

According to Kenny Robertson, Director, CIT Shared Services, DWP, this new infrastructure “Provides a network bridge not just between local authorities and central government but between local authorities themselves.

“It will create opportunities for better, more secure, timely and innovative, service delivery.”

Roy Marshal, CIO at CLG believes that with 100% connectivity GCSX will now become “A real catalyst for change that will enable the local delivery of digital public services such as Tell Us Once and Online Free School Meals.

“In this way, Government Connect will provide a unique platform to drive forward collaborative working across the public sector on shared priorities such as Total Place, the personalisation of local services, raising school standards; narrowing health inequalities; and creating stronger and safer communities.”

Initiatives already taking advantage of the new capability provided by GCSX include:

• Revenues & Benefits: Improved Benefits administration and fraud reduction via improved information sharing between local authorities, DWP and HMRC using GCSX in order to implement the DWP’s Housing Benefits modernisation and In and Out of Work programmes. More information...
  
  
• Tell Us Once: Provision of services designed around the citizen by providing enabling infrastructure for the Tell Us Once initiative. More information...
  
  
• Health & Social Care: Secure exchange of patient identifiable data with NHSmail users (PCTs, acute trusts, GPs etc) and local authorities. More information...
  
  
• Children's Services: Secure access to ContactPoint, the Common Assessment Framework (eCAF) and Free School Meals (FSM) plus secure email with partners such as the Family Courts. More information...
  
  
• Police, Fire & Rescue: Councils are working in partnership with police, fire and rescue services to tackle crime and improve community safety by being able to share information effectively and securely. More information...
  
  
• Youth Justice: Secure connectivity between the Youth Justice Board (YJB), HM Courts Service and local authority based Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) enabling secure access to key applications such as the HM Courts Libra system and secure exchange of custodial and remand information. More information...
  
  
• Parking & Abandoned Vehicles: More effective management of parking and abandoned vehicles with potential for secure access to DVLA and Department of Transport applications. More information...
  
  
• Government Estate: More effective government estate management via access to the Office of Government Commerce e-PIMS systems. More information...
  
  
• Grants & Subsidy: Secure access to CLG local grants and subsidy systems LOGASnet. More information...
  
  
• Joint Working: Improving and enabling joint working to deliver joined up, citizen-centric services and enabled shared resources and multi-agency co-location. More information...
  
  
• Civil Contingency: Creation of a secure communication platform for shared emergency planning and instant response from local and national civil contingency teams. More information...
  
  

Information about the projects outlined above can be seen by following the relevant links. For an overview of services and applications currently available - or anticipated to be so in the near future - please see the summary roadmap here.

For further detail on the actual and potential uses of GCSX see pages 21 to 34 (What can I do with a GCSX connection?), of the Case for Government Connect document.