A vision for public service reform

16 Nov 12
Lord Bichard

There is no comprehensive or convincing strategy for the future of public services, just a mish-mash of initiatives, cuts and managerial reforms. Let's start by asking the right questions

Does anyone have a coherent vision for the future of the UK’s public services? If so, I must have missed it. There are (of course) initiatives and fragments of what might pass for a vision, but no one at Westminster or in Whitehall, and no think-tank or consultancy, seems capable of offering something comprehensive and convincing. And that should concern us all as we anticipate another Comprehensive Spending Review with no strategy much beyond further cuts for one of our most important sectors.

The reforms that have been offered so far have much to do with how public officials are recruited, managed and led, but do little to tackle the fundamental flaws. As such, they offer a depressing future in which the present inadequate model continues much as it is but in reduced circumstances. It is irresponsible to suggest that this is a sufficient response. So, what is? What are the questions that need to be answered before anyone can claim they have a plausible answer? Mine include the following:

How can we more effectively reduce demand on the sector?

The increasing levels of diabetes, obesity and respiratory disease could cripple the economy, let alone the National Health Service, and yet public services remain largely responsive rather than preventative. In addition, the economic and social benefits of early intervention have been acknowledged but not acted upon. The emphasis of public services needs to shift from one of ‘respond, protect and prevent’ to ‘prevent, protect and respond’, and we are no nearer achieving that than we were a decade ago.

How can we introduce new sources of finance into the system?

The disasters of the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) have made us understandably cautious but demand is unlikely to be met by traditional funding models. That is why I am taking such an interest in the work of Social Finance (www.socialfinance.org.uk) and the potential of Social Impact Bonds. They offer the possibility of applying private sector funds to resolve public problems, but more effort needs to be invested in developing similar approaches.

How can we best tackle the failure of services and government departments to work together effectively?

Joined-up government has long been part of the rhetoric, but never a reality. Many now seem to regard it as an impossible dream, and yet the consequences of this failure harm the lives of millions of ordinary citizens. We fail to protect abused children because services do not co-operate and we fail to provide adequate services for the growing numbers of elderly people for the same reason. Sometimes this is because we have been unable to find ways of sharing information between agencies in acceptable ways; sometimes it is because of departmental imperialism and sometimes because of professional rivalry. But whatever the reason, the prospect of integrated, or even collaborative, services and policy is further away than ever.

What degree of devolution do we want to achieve?

The coalition government has espoused the devolution or decentralisation of power and yet few, if any, new powers have been devolved. The commitment of government departments other than the Department for Communities and Local Government is seriously in doubt and the early success of the Total Place initiative has been dissipated by way of pilots, and the lesser ambitions of Community Budgets. There is confusion about what a devolved world should look like, which no party has addressed.

To what extent do we want to empower individuals to meet their own needs and how can we support them?

The complexity of the modern state has in many ways disempowered citizens, who often find it difficult to navigate their way around the system. Many could and would wish to do more to help themselves if they were helped to do so. The potential of digital government is huge, but rarely realised, and far too little has been done to raise the quality of service design. Services are simply not designed around clients and, too often, are designed for the convenience of providers. Individuals spend too much time trying to find ways of making the system work for them, and many fail.

What is the role of the private sector in delivering services for the public good?

I am convinced that this is significant, but all political parties have been bruised by the high-profile failures of companies like A4e (Action for Employment) and G4S (the London Olympics security supplier) and now seem reluctant to articulate a strategy. Often the problems that have arisen have had as much to do with poor commissioning and procurement, and poor contract management, as with supplier incompetence. The recent disaster with the west coast rail franchise only serves to reinforce my point. More needs to be done to improve the skills in government in these areas and to encourage a more diverse range of potential providers, including mutuals and social enterprises.

What is the role of the civil society in meeting social need?

Is the third (voluntary) sector merely an alternative vehicle for providing services (increasingly under contract), or is it a genuine partner active in providing policy support to government? If it is to perform an enhanced role, how will it protect its independence?
Governments have always spoken positively about the civil society but have found it more difficult to define the relationship between the state and this vital sector.

Can we have accountable, but innovative service delivery?

Can we develop a system of accountability for the public service that is rigorous, but which does not drive out the creativity and innovation that is needed as we respond to rapidly changing circumstances.

Others will want to add to this list but the fact that such fundamental questions remain, at best, only partially answered indicates how far we are from creating a modern sustainable approach to the delivery of services for the public good.

Lord Bichard is a former local government chief executive and senior civil servant. Among other roles he chaired the 2004 Soham Murders Inquiry and was the first director of the Institute for Government.  This blog is based on an article due to be published in CIPFA’s Public Money & Management in January. Visit www.tandfonline.com for more information and CIPFA member discounts

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