BS2912 Public Administration in Britain

6 : Modernising Government- Quality issues

BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 6: Modernising Government- Quality issues

Principles

- Citizens are used to consumer choice and competition in the private sector – the public sector must match it

- A closer link to be forged between spending and results

- Clearly focused on results, with regular monitoring and reporting

BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 6: Modernising Government- Quality issues

Principles

- Innovation rather than tradition to be the keyword

- break the assumption that everything that government does is to be provided by the public sector

- Levers to drive up standards are: ~ money only provided for modernisation ~ Public Service Agreements set out service standards e.g. cutting class sizes, reduce waiting lists

BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 6: Modernising Government- Quality issues

Principles

- Three year rather than annual spending plans

- develop commercial skills in partnership with industry (better use of public-private partnerships)

- Ministers and Departments will be held to account

- Performance to be measured by: ~ New Cabinet Committee (PSX) ~ Annual Reports

BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 6: Modernising Government- Quality issues

Performance Management and Inspection

- Encourage a ‘whole systems’ approach

- Move from counting inputs to assessing outputs

- intervene in inverse proportion to success

- use the right information to monitor and improve programmes

BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 6: Modernising Government- Quality issues

Encourage innovation and Share good practice

- Work with Public Audit Forum (all audit agencies) to encourage modern service delivery

- get rid of outdated or unnecessary statutory regulation

- identify organisations which can be given more scope to innovate (e.g. Beacon authorities)

- Use Public Sector Benchmarking Project

BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 6: Modernising Government- Quality issues

Encourage innovation and Share good practice

- Set up NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) for the Health Service

- Beacon Councils in local authorities; Beacon Schools

- Carry out regulation in a fair, effective, balanced and equitable way

BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 6: Modernising Government- Quality issues

Future Actions should follow 5 principles

- Challenge (is this service what is needed ?)

- Compare (performance with promises)

- Consult (responsive to needs of users)

- Compete (use best supplier whether private or public)

- Collaborate (work across organisational boundaries)

BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 6: Modernising Government- Quality issues

Future Actions

- new non-dogmatic approach to public v. private provision

- New focus on end-results rather than on processes – (with the aim of securing best value to the taxpayer)

- competition will be rigorously applied

BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 6: Modernising Government- Quality issues

Future Actions – Mechanisms (1)

- encourage a quality management scheme (Charter Mark, IIP, Business Excellence model)

- use a Modernising Government Quality Teams Task Force

- spread best practice from ‘high scorers’

- incorporate views of customers where possible

BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 6: Modernising Government- Quality issues

Future Actions – Mechanisms (2)

- use Audit Commission to develop principles of public inspection

- set up a Best Value inspectorate

- bring together staff from across the public sector so that policy makers learn from operational experience

- use a website to share good practice