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Last updated: 20 July 2009
Plans for reform will harness technology and new skills to save £2 billion by 2011, while improving services to citizens and IT programme delivery.
Technology provides a vital tool to delivering public service reform. By harnessing the latest digital and IT developments, government can offer citizens public services that are more efficient, effective and put them in the driving seat.
Over the past year we have continued to work closely with other government departments and the public to help shift the focus to the citizen, reducing duplication and enabling more personalised services.
Published in the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007, the Service Transformation Agreement (STA) laid the foundation of these efforts. The agreement aims to ensure that public services are easier and more convenient to use, cheaper for the taxpayer and fully utilise the insight and experience of front-line staff.
One of the most innovative initiatives to come out of the STA is the Tell Us Once pilot programme. Led by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), it is designed to change the way people inform government (both central and local government) about changes to their circumstances. At its heart is the proposition that people should only have to communicate about a birth or death once, and government will make sure the information is passed on to the relevant departments quickly and efficiently.
Please make the Tell us once service available countrywide. It is so helpful and useful in a time of great distress, giving direction to scrambled brains. I felt both positive and calm after the interview. The staff's attitude to me was perfect... thank you so much. Positive feedback from Mrs L, a customer who used the pilot Tell Us Once service
Trials are running in the north and south east of the country, covering a population of two million people. These offer face-to-face and telephone services that allow people to notify central and local government of a birth or death. A decision on whether to roll out the birth and bereavement service will be made in the summer this year.
Members of Cabinet Office from the Service Transformation team sit on various Tell Us Once boards to provide expert advice and strategic alignment with other Service Transformation activity.
In the past, a large percentage of calls made to government have resulted from a failure to deliver as promised, from poorly designed services or from poor communication with service users. To address this we have put in place a new framework to help share best practice and improve efficiency.
Over 40 central government contact centres and 130 local authorities, which handle 150 million calls each year, now use the framework to improve the service they provide. In addition, we are ensuring high standards at central government call centres through training and accreditation.
Innovative ideas need innovative Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to bring them to life. The improvements we have made to the way we use ICT in government include:
We are currently the only government in the world who has set mandated green ICT targets for Chief Information Officers and we are going continue evolving and leading the way in this rapidly moving field of science, technology and innovation. Chris Chant, Government Green ICT Champion
In July 2008, the UK Government set an example to other governments around the world by announcing its intention to reduce the carbon footprint of its computer systems in its Greening Government ICT Strategy. A commitment was also made to make sure government departments use ICT to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide they generate in carrying out work - for example, by reducing travel. Among the departments to take action are the Ministry of Defence (MoD), which has agreed with suppliers to refresh its IT less frequently (every four years rather than two).
Arranging free school meals for your child has traditionally been a paper-based process that can take several weeks. But a new online system is set to change that.
Parents and carers will soon be able to apply for online free school meals and have their eligibility checked as soon as possible by means of a central hub at the Department for Children, Schools and Families. The hub allows local authorities to access centrally held information. Local authorities can then respond to requests more quickly and efficiently, and children can access healthy, free meals without stigma.
The Deputy Director of Service Transformation (Cabinet Office) sits on the Online Free School Meals Programme Board. The Service Transformation team provide expert advice and strategic alignment with other Service Transformation activity.
As part of our drive to slim down the centre and deliver better value for money for the taxpayer, we are continuing to make savings by sharing resources across government - particularly in HR, IT and Finance. Over 80% of central government employees now use shared services.
In April 2009, Cabinet Office made the switch to DWP Shared Services - an online and contact centre service provided by the Department for Work and Pensions for dealing with routine HR, finance and procurement transactions.
By the end of March 2008, DWP's Shared Services had delivered cumulative savings across government of £50 million or around 15% year on year. The Department is on track to deliver a further 13% by the end of 2008/09, bringing the cumulative total to £100 million.
7,800 More than 7,800 have been helped by the Tell Us Once service and users have rated the service at over 90%.
Around 55% of central government employees are now customers of a ‘Shared Services’ system.