25 July 2008
MPs have called for the introduction of public service guarantees, to strengthen efforts to put people at the centre of service delivery.
The public administration select committee said the creation of a 'citizen's handbook of entitlements' would guarantee minimum standards and help eliminate 'postcode lotteries' across service provision.
Committee chair Tony Wright said: 'The government has recently proposed a new array of measures to empower people and communities.' Public service guarantees would be a powerful addition to these measures, he said.
Wright added such guarantees would signal a genuine commitment to putting people first. The report, From citizen's charter to public service guarantees, recommended that service users should have responsibilities to fulfil, in return for entitlements that were similarly enshrined.
The committee said the guarantees should be clear, precise and enforceable statements of entitlement, but should also form a 'progressively evolving document' that could adapt to changing needs and attitudes.
Enforcement of the standards would be down to the parliamentary and health service ombudsman.
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