About SDC
SDI’s Service Desk Certification (SDC) programme is the only standards-based accreditation programme designed specifically to certify service desk quality. The ‘Global Best Practice Standard for Service Desk’ provides a set of clear and measurable benchmarks for IT service operations. To achieve Certification, the maturity level of a service and support operation is thoroughly audited against this Best Practice Standard.
About Digital Health Care Wales
Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW) is an expert national body and part of NHS Wales. DHCW works in partnership with NHS Wales Health Boards and Trusts to provide national digital services, which support the delivery of health and social care in Wales. DHCW runs or works with more than 100 services and delivers major national digital transformation programmes to support this.
We spoke to Steven Howlett, Head of Service Desk & Fulfilment at DHCW about his SDC experience, the changes he’s seen and the impact that Certification is having on his team and the wider organisation. Here’s what he told us:
Tell us about your service desk
Because of our scope and reach, we are the largest public sector IT Service Desk in Wales. Each year, we manage around 230,000 tickets spanning over 100 digital clinical products and services. (Although, during the pandemic, as the need for clinical services increased, the volume of tickets exceeded a quarter of a million). Our Service Desk is based in Cardiff, but since the pandemic, we have been successfully operating a hybrid model, altering between working in the office and our homes.
When did you join the SDC programme and why?
We joined the SDC programme in 2018 as part of our commitment to strengthening the Service Desk’s capability and ensuring we operate to the highest recognised standards. Many of the products and services we support are classified as clinically critical and are relied upon by clinicians and healthcare professionals across Wales to help treat patients. This level of responsibility meant it was essential for us to mature our operations, enhance consistency and evolve at pace.
After reviewing the service desk industry and assessing available frameworks, we chose to partner with SDI to modernise our operation and embed a robust best‑practice approach.
What have some of your key highlights and challenges been along the way?
Change naturally brings challenges. Some people adapt quickly, while others are more cautious. A key part of our journey was engaging with the team, explaining what we were doing, why we were doing it and how the changes would benefit the operation, our staff, and our customers. This represented a significant cultural shift for us. We managed all of this while continuing to keep the operation running smoothly, which was an achievement in itself.
How would you describe your experience of working with SDI?
Working with SDI has genuinely been a rewarding experience for us. It’s pushed us in ways that weren’t always easy, but it’s helped the service grow and mature at a pace we needed. Our SDI consultant has been a consistent support throughout, always encouraging us to stretch ourselves and improve. For us, SDI has become much more than an annual audit, it’s shaped our culture and the way we work every day.
Tell us about the effect that SDC has had on your team and the wider organisation
SDC has made a real difference to the team. It’s given us more structure and clarity in how we work, which has helped everyone feel more confident and aligned. It’s also encouraged the team to think more about how we can improve rather than just keeping things ticking over. Overall, it’s brought a stronger sense of purpose and consistency to the way we operate.
Across the wider organisation, SDC has helped raise the visibility of the Service Desk and the role we play. People have a clearer understanding of what we do, how we measure ourselves and the standards we work to. That’s helped build trust and made it easier to collaborate with other departments. In short, it’s helped us strengthen our reputation and show our value more clearly.
What are the stand-out improvements you’ve recorded since joining the programme?
When we joined the programme, we had no defined performance targets, no mechanism for tracking our service delivery and limited visibility of how we were performing as a team. Since then, we have implemented clear targets, established robust performance‑tracking processes and developed meaningful insights into our operational effectiveness. We now provide a comprehensive monthly performance report that is shared confidently across all levels of the organisation, demonstrating transparency, accountability and continuous improvement.
How have you quantified the return on investment you’ve seen from Certification?
We’ve looked at ROI by focusing on what has actually improved since gaining Certification. One of the biggest benefits has been having consistent performance data. That’s helped us spot patterns earlier and improve how quickly we resolve issues. We’ve also seen a return through more standardised processes. There’s less variation in how work is handled, fewer mistakes and new starters get up to speed faster. A large part of the value has also come from how Certification has strengthened our credibility across the organisation. Stakeholders have more confidence in the Service Desk and that makes it easier for us to have the right conversations and influence decisions. So, while some of the ROI is measured through performance improvements, a lot of it is also about stability, consistency and the trust we’ve built across NHS Wales.
Are there any other achievements you attribute to being in the SDC programme?
Before we joined the SDC programme, the Service Desk was largely viewed as a busy but basic ticket‑logging function. Our partnership with SDI has played a major part in changing that perception. It’s helped us demonstrate the value we bring, strengthen our first‑line fix capability for more clinical services and position ourselves as a genuine business partner rather than just a support function.
We’ve also seen this reflected in the recognition we’ve received over the years. We’ve picked up several internal and external awards since. These achievements are very much linked to the standards and improvements that have come from being part of the SDC programme.
Lastly, can you summarise what Certification means to you?
We set out to raise the maturity of our operation, and we’ve done exactly that. We wanted to measure our performance more effectively and share that insight with our stakeholders and we’ve achieved that as well. Improving our visibility and reputation with other internal departments was another key aim and we’ve made real progress there. Most importantly, we wanted to grow and evolve at the same pace as our products and services and we’ve kept up with that momentum. Everything we’ve worked on has been driven by one purpose: supporting clinicians and healthcare professionals across NHS Wales.
Special thanks to Steven Howlett, Head of Service Desk & Fulfilment at DHCW
Why SDC Matters to Service Desks
Service Desk Managers are under constant pressure to improve performance, demonstrate value, and align with business objectives. The Service Desk Certification (SDC) provides a structured, objective framework to do exactly that. It helps teams to:
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Benchmark performance against a global standard, identifying strengths and gaps.
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Drive continuous improvement through practical recommendations tailored to their current maturity level.
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Gain credibility with senior leadership and stakeholders by demonstrating adherence to industry best practices.
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Enhance team engagement and morale by fostering a culture of excellence and recognition.
AI-focused concept added to the Standard
The Global Best Practice Standard for Service Desk (the Standard) is the framework that underpins the Service Desk Certification programme, with detailed criteria covering 10 concepts. The Standard has been updated to v9, and contains a new concept – ‘Managing the AI System’ – to help you navigate the practical challenges of implementing and integrating AI capabilities in to your service.
