Before approaching Restore Information Management, one of the challenges faced by Your Chapter was the capacity for the storage of documents. There was little structure in the way documents were stored meaning boxes of documents were stored in cellars and in resident bedrooms. Many of these documents were required to be kept on file for years, for example, to be referred to during Ofsted inspections. The result of this was document storage took up valuable space that could otherwise be utilised by bringing in more residents. The company made the decision to begin researching storage solutions. They looked at a variety of providers but found that the services and response time were poor. This led to them approaching Restore Information Management which resulted in improved customer service.

Another challenge faced was on-boarding. Many of the staff at Your Chapter were not equipped to use the systems utilised and needed vast support from Restore Information Management. It was also challenging to get wider staff to buy into the digitisation journey, with one of the biggest constraints being time. As staff were already working at full capacity, it was difficult for them to find time to learn about new systems. The process also required lots of files to be prepared before digitisation, meaning time had to be allocated to this.

To address these challenges, Restore Information Management implemented a phased approach. First, all paper records were moved to secure off-site storage, immediately freeing up space within the residential homes. School records were also relocated, and Restore Information Management consolidated files from multiple vendors into a single ultra-secure storage facility, simplifying management. In total, 856 boxes of documents were collected from various locations.

Recognising the importance of accessibility, Restore Information Management provided a two-hour same-day retrieval service, ensuring that Your Chapter could access important documents when needed while maintaining compliance with record retention requirements.
To support the organisation to use the web-portal, Restore Information Management also facilitated staff onboarding, providing training and guidance to ensure smooth adoption of the new system.

The greatest benefit to Your Chapter’s digitisation journey is that the space saved on document storage has created more bed space, allowing Your Chapter to provide better care. The journey has also improved safety standards, decreasing the risk of fire by removing piles of paper storage, leading to a tidier and safer working environment. Staff morale has improved as staff feel less anxious and more organised regarding filing. Staff also found that the system easy to use after on-boarding was complete.