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Ministerial Foreword
Our public services form an integral part of modern Scotland. They enable our communities to be safer and stronger; our young people to be educated and inspired; our citizens to be cared for at different stages in their lives; and they protect the most vulnerable in society. Not only do our citizens benefit from public services but many are involved in their delivery. These individuals are committed to the provision of quality public services for every citizen providing the education, care, protection and encouragement for our great country to flourish.
However, Scotland is a small country with a population of around five million people and whilst this has never stopped us from taking a lead we must strive for our position on the world stage. We have big ambitions for Scotland and our public services are in a prime position to use their powers and capacity to help realise these ambitions. Not only do we want our public services to be the best in the UK but the best in the world and to achieve this we must be prepared to transform the way that they are organised. Public service reform will enable us to meet the changing needs of modern society and to deliver the outcomes that create a fairer and more equitable society.
Scotland is competing in an ever changing world with improved technologies and the emergence of dominant economic forces such as China and India. This does not mean that the quality or quantity of public services should decline, in fact the opposite. Since devolution we have invested hugely in public services delivering more teachers, police and nurses. Of course there must be limits as investment alone will not produce results; to maximise benefits investment must be coupled with reform.
The creation of our Parliament in 1999 presented us with many opportunities and many challenges. We have already sought to tackle these challenges in different public services through, for example, Delivering for Health, the creation of the Transport Agency, a Teacher's Agreement for the 21st Century and Efficient Government. It is not our intention to disturb the progress of these substantial ongoing reforms but to build on strength where it exists and on valued principles which underpin delivery, for example a health service free at the point of delivery and time of need, and a comprehensive, non-selective education service offering equality of opportunity to all and excellence locally. Rather we must treat our progress on reform as an opportunity upon which we can build by taking the chance to look at public services in their entirety, consider our long- term options and deliver an improved framework for the people of Scotland.
Our continuing commitment to reform is about making a real difference to users and communities whilst remaining realistic about public spending. The prize of continual improvement for the public will be multiple - providing simpler access to a universally high quality of service; new services delivered in new ways; straightforward redress when things go wrong - with support where needed; a real say in how services are planned and delivered; greater choice for individuals in how they use public services and what services they can obtain; clear, transparent information about services and performance allowing citizens to evaluate the delivery of local services; and measurable progress on the priorities set by the people of Scotland.
If the luxury of starting afresh ever presented itself, few would disagree that we would aim for far more clarity, far less duplication, far greater symmetry and cooperation. The overriding aim of this complex and substantial work is not just to help us sustain the volume and quality of our public services; it is to radically improve on both and to recognise the need to rationalise our organisational structures wherever necessary.
Our reform journey is predicated on the belief that we must value those dedicated, and often highly qualified, individuals who ensure consistently high standards of public services are provided to those who need them most. We will endeavour to work to support their efforts whilst ensuring that we generate the maximum benefit from every public pound spent.
We seek a new and mature climate of trust between central government, local government and various delivery organisations, recognising the elected status of local government. There can be no place for self interest, be it professional or institutional.
This document will seek to provoke debate around the many aspects of reform including geography, structures, processes, culture, people and legislation. Each is important in its own right but they must all be pulled together as we seek common workable solutions. For instance, in our drive for efficiency we must ensure that unnecessary duplication is removed enabling public services to function effectively with the most appropriate but supportive legislative, audit and accountability frameworks.
Greater flexibility in the way organisations deliver public services will generate opportunities for increased cooperation and integration.
We must also consider the responsibilities that senior professional officers hold for the delivery of our public services. With these responsibilities comes the need to strengthen the levels of accountability and to identify the management obligations which accompany these senior posts. Professional, managerial and organisational leadership must become the norm and not the exception.
The provision of world class public services which protect, nourish and empower the citizen through all of life's stages is an imperative. World class public services are needed to drive the economy and help bind our communities together. In reforming our public services we will ensure that our greatest asset, the potential of the Scottish people leads us to deliver sustainable, productive and rewarding effects across the whole economy and society.
Tom McCabe
Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform
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