ThinkSpace - Issue 1
October/November 2007
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Welcome to the first edition of ThinkSpace.
ThinkSpace is PA Consulting Group's e-newsletter focused on bringing innovative thinking to the strategic challenges faced by you as leaders of public services.
In this edition we explore the challenges of realising the changes recommended by Sir David Varney’s review of service transformation. We also look at the move away from targets and consider how trust and accountability can be used to empower professionals in the front line of service delivery. Finally, we have included some of our other recently published material that we hope will be of interest.
We are passionate about improving public services and are committed to offering fresh perspectives on new and existing challenges. As such we would welcome your feedback about individual articles, the ThinkSpace concept itself or if you have a particular topic that you would like discussed please email your views to thinkspace@paconsulting.com.
| IN THIS EDITION |
| Citizen Varney: transforming service from the citizen perspective |
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The Varney Review lays out a bold strategic vision for service transformation across government. But how can departments and their leaders realise that vision in the day-to-day delivery of public services? Building on one of PA’s seminars earlier this year, Stuart Middleton and Rob Brown explore what Varney’s recommendations mean in practice and argue that improving demand management capabilities – the systematic ability to understand and predict need, and reach out to individual citizens - could be the key. >more |
| Targeting trust: creating greater empowerment and accountability for front line professionals |
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Government by targets has been a hallmark of public policy over the last ten years. But, while targets have delivered some specific successes, they are starting to attract criticism. David Skelton and Andy Mullins argue that the whole targets regime needs to be revisited in order to place greater trust in local delivery organisations but also to demand greater accountability from them. >more |
| OTHER ARTICLES OF INTEREST |
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 University strategy management briefings
Lessons on emerging best practice from PA Consulting Group’s experiences and observations of institutions in the UK and overseas are brought together in a series of five management briefings for senior executives in higher education. >more
FutureWorlds: creating a catalyst for true innovation in the postal industry
In considering the future of mail services, many questions are raised. Susan Barton, head of PA’s Postal Industry Group, explores the use of FutureWorlds scenario planning in shaping the future of the postal market >more
Opportunity knocks: the independent sector is key to the long term survival of the NHS Independent sector involvement in the NHS has sparked fierce criticism. We argue that it will be a catalyst for the innovation needed to ensure long-term survival of the service >more
Lean working: smells like team spirit
In a roundtable debate participants discussed the application of Lean to public services and in particular how successful implementation means a deep-seated change across the whole organisation to a culture of continuous improvement, not just a one-off redesign of processes >more
A tricky message to get right: framing the immigration debate locally
In collaboration with Ipsos MORI, we outline some considerations for the Border and Immigration Agency's new regional directors in developing and implementing nuanced local immigration strategies >more
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©PA Knowledge Limited 2007
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