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This website provides information and practical guidance on current and emerging workforce issues in our public services. These pages are managed by the Cabinet Office Public Service Workforce Team, which works with Government, employers and trade unions to deliver a shared ambition for excellent public services.
Guidance for employers and trade unions on how best to support the public sector workforce and deliver world class public services whilst tackling the challenges of the economic downturn has been launched by the Public Services Forum.
The agreed principles will act as a framework for constructive dialogue between employers and trade unions across the Public Sector and ensure that, in managing the effects of the recession and the inevitable fiscal restraint, the public sector workforce will continue to be given access to training and development, treated with respect and given the freedom and support needed to innovate and to deliver the very best quality public services.
In 2009 the Cabinet Office conducted a review of public sector leadership development, focusing on the ten (now 11) leadership academies that make up ‘Public Service Leadership’. You can read a summary of the report Cabinet Office Review of Public Service Leadership Development [PDF, 154KB].
The recommendations of the review are now being taken forward by a steering group led by Peter Housden, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Communities and Local Government.
The Cabinet Office has published a report of the first five years of the Public Services Forum (PSF). The PSF was formed in 2003 to improve dialogue between government, trade unions and public sevice employers, and it supports and encourages principles of partnership, workforce involvement and public service improvement.
The government has issued its response to the Sunningdale Institute's March 09 report on reconnecting policy making with front line professionals (see below). Listening to the front line sets out how the Cabinet Office and the policy profession will work with partners across government to develop tools and systems that will support departments to seek and make effective use of front line insight in the design and development of policy.
The Cabinet Office has commissioned a study about how to achieve a vision for world class public services where policy making is grounded in front-line evidence and experience. The independent report by the Sunningdale Institute sets out a number of recommendations for how to establish better ways of engaging with those working at the front-line when formulating and developing policies. This is important as it will ensure that Whitehall develops policies that are innovative, effective and relevant.
The Learning and Skills Task Group of the Public Services Forum has published a report on learning and skills challenges and priorities in public services:
The recommendations contained in this report were launched on 1 December by Tom Watson, the PSF Chair and Cabinet Office Parliamentary Secretary, at the Public Sector Skills Conference.
In addition, the Task Group has undertaken a case study of the adult social care sector to test the effectiveness and practicalities of the above policy recommendations. By reality testing the policy recommendations, we hope to improve significantly the quality and practicality of the initiatives that will eventually be introduced across all public services.
The Task Group was co-chaired by Frances O'Grady (TUC Deputy General Secretary) and David Amos (Director of Workforce, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust).
The Joint Statement has now been incorporated into the NHS standard contracts for mental health and learning disability services, ambulance services and acute hospital and community services. The provisions will be incorporated into all affected new and re-let NHS contracts.
The Joint Statement on Access to Skills, Trade Unions and Advice in Government Contracting was launched by the Cabinet Office on 15 July 2008.
The Joint Statement aims to improve the quality of services delivered under Government contracts by raising the skills of service providers' employees and by helping to ensure fair treatment.
Drive for Change is a simple, practical tool to help with change management. It aims to improve the delivery of public services through better staff engagement in the design and implementation of service improvements.
Drive for Change is a web-based toolkit for public service employers, trade unions and employees to use together to support closer dialogue and joint working to take forward change, or redesign of, services.
This initiative was developed jointly by the Cabinet Office and TUC and can be accessed through this link: Drive for Change [External website].