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We are thrilled to be among the first registered bodies to successfully transfer the processing of basic criminal record checks to the Disclosure and Barring Service, via a fully integrated service.
Back in 2002 it was agreed Disclosure Scotland would ‘temporarily’ take responsibility for processing all basic disclosure applications, as the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) were not in a position to handle the volume of applications at that time. Some 13 years later the UK government determined this temporary arrangement must come to an end and with effect from the 1st January 2018 all basic disclosures for hires into England and Wales will now be processed by the DBS. Basic Disclosures for hires into Scotland will continue to be processed by Disclosure Scotland.
Early adopters
Vero have been working with the DBS since 2015, as slow and steady progress was made towards to the transfer of services. Following this, we are pleased to have been invited to become ‘early adopters’ and to have gone live with the new – and fully integrated – service seven weeks ahead of the January 1st deadline.
Dramatic reductions in turnaround times
We have now been running the new process since the 13th November and early indications are that turnaround times have seen dramatic improvements across the board – at both Disclosure Scotland and the DBS. Vero are currently experiencing a turnaround time of approximately 5 working days with Disclosure Scotland, compared with 7 to 10 working days previously. At the same time, checks processed to date via the DBS integrated service are being returned in just a matter of hours: approximately 50 per cent of the checks we have processed have been returned in under three hours; 73 per cent have been returned in less than 24 hours. It is worth noting the DBS are currently ‘holding back’ a number of checks, for quality assurance purposes. This temporary and precautionary measure is intended to ensure a smooth service integration. Once lifted, we expect to see turnaround times improve even further.
Looking ahead to the GDPR
As we continue to make ready for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming into force in May 2018, the delivery of basic criminal record checks via a fully integrated solution is an ideal example of a ‘privacy by design’ approach and placing data subject access rights at the forefront of personal data processing. The DBS are committed to individuals having ownership over their data, especially given the sensitive nature of criminal conviction information. Accordingly, under the new process, Candidates will need to explicitly consent for their results to be provided to a nominated company or individual in an electronic format. This ‘e-result’ is provided in the form of a secure data transfer between the DBS and Vero and Candidates are then given the option as to whether they would prefer the hard copy to be delivered direct to them, or to a nominated third party such as Vero.
Smooth transition
Vero have been providing our Clients with regular updates over the past 18 month period, to keep them up to speed with our progression towards the service transfer. A number of process and technical changes have been implemented to support the new process and the end result has been a smooth and successful transfer, achieving a faster and more secure method of conducting basic criminal record checks.
Contact us
If you are an existing client and would like to provide feedback on the new service, we would love to hear what you have to say. Please contact us at serviceimprovement@veroscreening.com . If you are a prospective client and would like to make enquiries about our criminal record check service, please contact us at intouch@veroscreening.com for further information.
