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Citizen perspectives on Transforming Public Services: the next phase of reform
Part of the dialogue on public service reform that took place across Scotland between June 2006 and February 2007.
Jim McCormick, Linda Boyes, Deirdre Elrick, Andrew Harris, Nicole Hastings and Marco Pisano , Scottish Council Foundation
ISBN 978 0 7559 1506 4 (Web only publication)
This document is also available in pdf format (624k)

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
User-focus and personalisation
Quality and innovation
Efficiency and productivity
Joining-up and minimising separation
Strengthening accountability

CHAPTER ONE BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
Research methods
Format of events
Priority and significant themes
Report structure

CHAPTER TWO USER-FOCUS AND PERSONALISATION
Scottish Executive goals
One size fits all? Personalisation and choice in public services
Responses to personalised care vignettes
Public involvement: upstream and localised
The views of public service leaders
Summary of main points

CHAPTER THREE QUALITY AND INNOVATION
Scottish Executive goals
Trends and satisfaction with service standards
Consistently high standards between areas
Innovation: new and adapted services
Customer care and communication
The views of public service leaders
Locating Responsibility
Summary of main points

CHAPTER FOUR EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY
Scottish Executive goals
Efficiency, priorities and assessing risk
Waste, value for money and focus
Diverse providers?
The views of public service leaders
Summary of main points

CHAPTER FIVE JOINING-UP AND MINIMISING SEPARATION
Scottish Executive goals
Defining joining-up
Responses to 'joining-up' vignette
Better sign-posting
Communication and planning between services
The views of public service leaders
Summary of main points

CHAPTER SIX STRENGTHENING ACCOUNTABILITY
Scottish Executive goals
Responsibility and responsiveness
Giving an account and holding to account
Two-way accountability
Independent not vested interests
Authentic performance measures
More autonomous, more accountable?
Be accountable for actions not just plans
Accountable leaders
Summary of main points

CHAPTER SEVEN CONCLUSION: TEN PROPOSITIONS ON PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM
Improve the quality of feedback
Be clear on priorities and expectations
Devolve powers as they are earned to strengthen accountability
Adapt services and skills to serve a more diverse population
Reforms need to connect more clearly with public concerns about reducing waste and improving
efficiency
How services are funded and delivered may be more important that who delivers them
Pursue two-way and 'long-run' accountability
Local and virtual accessibility
Expertise and independence
Move further towards joining-up and 'single gateway' approaches

REFERENCES

ANNEX 1 SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW

ANNEX 2 TABLES

ANNEX 3 VIGNETTE RESPONSES

ANNEX 4 FIELDWORK DOCUMENTS
Recruitment questionnaire
Pre- and post-event surveys
Thematic guide for group discussions
Vignettes

The views expressed in the report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Scottish Executive or any other organisation(s) by which the author(s) is/are employed.

The Scottish Executive is making this research report available on-line in order to provide access to its contents for those interested in the subject. The Executive commissioned the research but has not exercised editorial control over the report.

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