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NHS Students Grant Unit

Answer

[holding answer 17 November 2005]: The following information has been provided by the NHS Pensions Agency.35 per cent. of applications for bursary payments in academic year 2005–06 have failed to meet the processing target of 20 working days. However, as at 16 November 2005, 94 per cent. of students have been paid.Since the beginning of the academic year 2005–06, all written correspondence and telephone inquiries received by the Student Grants Unit has received a response within 20 working days. All e-mail inquiries have received an acknowledgement and update from the unit within 20 working days of receipt.The unit has introduced four additional e-mail addresses that are query specific, in order to filter types of inquiry and improve response times.The unit obtains daily and weekly reports of telephone call volumes and response rates.The unit collates weekly reports on volumes of written correspondence and e-mail inquiries that includes the number of those cleared, within and outside of 20 working days.There is technology in place that enables the unit to record telephone activity. From the start of the academic year 2005–06 to date, the average waiting time for telephone inquiries on hold on the student helpline number is approximately five minutes. Due to the complexity of many of the inquiries an operator spends approximately five minutes handling each call.There are also separate dedicated telephone lines for universities who are able to contact their designated Student Grant Unit colleagues direct.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

29321; 440 c1233W;440 c1233W

Session

2005-06

Subjects

Applications Administrative delays Correspondence Standards Telephone services NHS Student Grants Unit

Contains statistics

Yes