Comments on: The need for quality in public service http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/31/the-need-for-quality-in-public-service/ Incisive and topical campaigns and commentary on today's issues and tomorrow's problems Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:05:58 +0000 hourly 1 By: Sam Pepson http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/31/the-need-for-quality-in-public-service/#comment-3660 Sam Pepson Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:19:01 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1105#comment-3660 There's a lot of good stuff, both in what you've written and in the responses. But I'm surprised no-one has mentioned the excellent book by John Seddon that was published a couple of months ago, Systems Thinking in the Public Sector. This Daily Telegraph review by Philip Johnston on 23 March gives the flavour. <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/03/17/do1704.xml" rel="nofollow">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml...</a> It's only by adopting radically different thinking about the delivery of public services that serious savings and improvements can be made. I'd love to hear that David Cameron has a team considering and developing Seddon's ideas. They will be difficult enough to implement anyway anyway, given the prevailing culture in the public service unions and civil service and media frenzy over any "post-code lottery" . But if he waits till he gets to Downing Street there's just no way it will ever happen. People can always argue that radical ideas might scare the voters - so it's obviously tempting to put them in the "too difficult" tray. But if the Conservatives are serious about making real changes (as I still hope, despite my scepticism), they really need to be working on ideas like this - even if they don't want to say so yet. There's a lot of good stuff, both in what you've written and in the responses. But I'm surprised no-one has mentioned the excellent book by John Seddon that was published a couple of months ago, Systems Thinking in the Public Sector. This Daily Telegraph review by Philip Johnston on 23 March gives the flavour. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml…

It's only by adopting radically different thinking about the delivery of public services that serious savings and improvements can be made. I'd love to hear that David Cameron has a team considering and developing Seddon's ideas. They will be difficult enough to implement anyway anyway, given the prevailing culture in the public service unions and civil service and media frenzy over any "post-code lottery" . But if he waits till he gets to Downing Street there's just no way it will ever happen.

People can always argue that radical ideas might scare the voters – so it's obviously tempting to put them in the "too difficult" tray. But if the Conservatives are serious about making real changes (as I still hope, despite my scepticism), they really need to be working on ideas like this – even if they don't want to say so yet.

]]> By: NigelC http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/31/the-need-for-quality-in-public-service/#comment-3659 NigelC Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:34:19 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1105#comment-3659 As a district councillor I am always disappointed when I ask how officers are going to tackle necessary process improvements. They have no methodology or structured approach. They fail to adopt approaches used in the private sector for decades. A fundamental culture change is required Why is it that councils can contract out waste collection, leisure provision, parks maintenance and most delivery services at lower cost than in house delivery? The inefficiencies in the public sector have to be tackled one way or another Reply: Yes, they do. Please work with your colleagues to challenge the complacency of officers on your Council. As a district councillor I am always disappointed when I ask how officers are going to tackle necessary process improvements. They have no methodology or structured approach. They fail to adopt approaches used in the private sector for decades. A fundamental culture change is required
Why is it that councils can contract out waste collection, leisure provision, parks maintenance and most delivery services at lower cost than in house delivery? The inefficiencies in the public sector have to be tackled one way or another

Reply: Yes, they do. Please work with your colleagues to challenge the complacency of officers on your Council.

]]> By: steve-roberts http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/31/the-need-for-quality-in-public-service/#comment-3658 steve-roberts Sun, 01 Jun 2008 23:17:53 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1105#comment-3658 Well, said John. The private sector has been steadily improving, by using better techniques and proving them in the marketplace, which will reliably support better, quicker, cheaper and reject the rest. Government services, not exposed to this discipline, languish decades behind. We have to recognise that today's government does far too much. Stripped back to the few necessary functions, it would have a better chance to do them tolerably well, especially if it could genuinely adopt best practice (including statistical process control, theory of constraints, to add to your list) instead of the cargo-cult parody we endure today. Well, said John. The private sector has been steadily improving, by using better techniques and proving them in the marketplace, which will reliably support better, quicker, cheaper and reject the rest. Government services, not exposed to this discipline, languish decades behind. We have to recognise that today's government does far too much. Stripped back to the few necessary functions, it would have a better chance to do them tolerably well, especially if it could genuinely adopt best practice (including statistical process control, theory of constraints, to add to your list) instead of the cargo-cult parody we endure today.

]]> By: mikestallard http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/31/the-need-for-quality-in-public-service/#comment-3657 mikestallard Sun, 01 Jun 2008 21:35:18 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1105#comment-3657 William B has, I reckon, got to the heart of the difference between public and private provision. "Never let it be forgotten that public services are delivered by people. Some are just time-servers but, I would suggest, the vast majority are dedicated to the work they do and want to do it well. " The trouble with Public Service is that people are seen as units of production. My own thinggy is education: Thus we need "27 teachers" with "graduate Status." Lunch times, meanwhile are "manned" by "dinner ladies". Schools are measured by their rolls. As any fule no, teachers can be very good or very bad indeed. Motivation is all in the learning process. Adolescents, especially, need a LOT of tlc. But the state is not bothered. Look at all these statements about how much money has been pumped into the system and how many more teachers we now have and how many more examination successes (of course, if the examinations themselves have been devalued). One of the wisest things you said was to liberate schools from the dead hand by freeing them up to be what they are - places where learning takes place under dedicated teachers and with motivated pupils. William B has, I reckon, got to the heart of the difference between public and private provision. "Never let it be forgotten that public services are delivered by people. Some are just time-servers but, I would suggest, the vast majority are dedicated to the work they do and want to do it well. "
The trouble with Public Service is that people are seen as units of production.
My own thinggy is education: Thus we need "27 teachers" with "graduate Status." Lunch times, meanwhile are "manned" by "dinner ladies". Schools are measured by their rolls.
As any fule no, teachers can be very good or very bad indeed. Motivation is all in the learning process. Adolescents, especially, need a LOT of tlc. But the state is not bothered.
Look at all these statements about how much money has been pumped into the system and how many more teachers we now have and how many more examination successes (of course, if the examinations themselves have been devalued).
One of the wisest things you said was to liberate schools from the dead hand by freeing them up to be what they are – places where learning takes place under dedicated teachers and with motivated pupils.

]]> By: adam http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/31/the-need-for-quality-in-public-service/#comment-3656 adam Sun, 01 Jun 2008 14:20:21 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1105#comment-3656 Privatising things creates its own problems which politicians choose to ignore. Railway Stations are clearly not private property, they are public places. However station employees are now forced to accost and threaten people who dare to film or use photography without permission on "private property." Perhaps the much loved consultants can be brought in to teach techniques. Staff morale and efficiency is about more than just private ownership. Privatising things creates its own problems which politicians choose to ignore.
Railway Stations are clearly not private property, they are public places. However station employees are now forced to accost and threaten people who dare to film or use photography without permission on "private property."

Perhaps the much loved consultants can be brought in to teach techniques.
Staff morale and efficiency is about more than
just private ownership.

]]> By: adam http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/31/the-need-for-quality-in-public-service/#comment-3655 adam Sun, 01 Jun 2008 14:09:03 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1105#comment-3655 i think the problem is the culture among politicians at the top. What is needed is real leadership and management skills. For the last ten years we have had the self styled progressives who are more interested in grand visions and legacies and destroying what already exists and replacing it with something new, just for the sake of it. That is not really what the job is about. Managing what already exists properly seems to be considered too dull. i think the problem is the culture among politicians at the top.
What is needed is real leadership and management skills. For the last ten years we have had the self styled progressives who are more interested in grand visions and legacies and destroying what already exists and replacing it with something new, just for the sake of it.

That is not really what the job is about. Managing what already exists properly seems to be considered too dull.

]]> By: Derek http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/31/the-need-for-quality-in-public-service/#comment-3654 Derek Sun, 01 Jun 2008 12:27:55 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1105#comment-3654 I generally agree with advocating commercial best practice to the public sector. However, all too often the public sector seems to use this as an opportunity to operate a 'Wendy House' version of business. Merrily they appoint CEO's and plaster logos and mission statements over everything whilst rarely delivering any improvement in efficiency. Measuring the efficiency improvements is part of the problem as well. It always reminds me a bit of quantum theory. When you try and look at something and measure it, ie with excessive targets (that become an end in themselves) and box ticking bureaucracy, the perfomance monitoring process itself has a, often deleterious, effect on the outcome. I generally agree with advocating commercial best practice to the public sector. However, all too often the public sector seems to use this as an opportunity to operate a 'Wendy House' version of business. Merrily they appoint CEO's and plaster logos and mission statements over everything whilst rarely delivering any improvement in efficiency.

Measuring the efficiency improvements is part of the problem as well. It always reminds me a bit of quantum theory. When you try and look at something and measure it, ie with excessive targets (that become an end in themselves) and box ticking bureaucracy, the perfomance monitoring process itself has a, often deleterious, effect on the outcome.

]]> By: AlanofEngland http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/31/the-need-for-quality-in-public-service/#comment-3653 AlanofEngland Sun, 01 Jun 2008 12:13:46 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1105#comment-3653 "They use Poka Yoke techniques, also pioneered by Toyota to prevent mistakes, by “idiot proofing” processes." Now this has given me an idea. Could we see Poka Yoke techniques used as part of MP selection processes? Just imagine knowing that prospective candidates have been Poka Yoked!! "They use Poka Yoke techniques, also pioneered by Toyota to prevent mistakes, by “idiot proofing” processes." Now this has given me an idea. Could we see Poka Yoke techniques used as part of MP selection processes? Just imagine knowing that prospective candidates have been Poka Yoked!!

]]> By: Adrian Peirson http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/31/the-need-for-quality-in-public-service/#comment-3652 Adrian Peirson Sun, 01 Jun 2008 10:07:33 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1105#comment-3652 Add to this the Net £30 Billion we contribute to the Corrupt EU that cannot account for 80% of its Budget and hasn't had it's accounts sighed off for 13 yrs, When you consider our troops sent off to fight in Two wars on a Peactime budget I really do not understand why General Dannat does not simply Kick the Door in. <a href="http://www.livevideo.com/video/rclark23/1E8F485B900C44498E90AD06E7088446/-war-criminal-ex-mi6-head-dea.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://www.livevideo.com/video/rclark23/1E8F485B9...</a> Add to this the Net £30 Billion we contribute to the Corrupt EU that cannot account for 80% of its Budget and hasn't had it's accounts sighed off for 13 yrs, When you consider our troops sent off to fight in Two wars on a Peactime budget I really do not understand why General Dannat does not simply Kick the Door in.
http://www.livevideo.com/video/rclark23/1E8F485B9…

]]> By: Adrian Peirson http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/31/the-need-for-quality-in-public-service/#comment-3651 Adrian Peirson Sun, 01 Jun 2008 09:54:14 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1105#comment-3651 £100 Billion wasted on Quangos and non Jobs. <a href="http://tpa.typepad.com/bettergovernment/files/080515_structure_of_government_1_unseen_government_immediate_release.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://tpa.typepad.com/bettergovernment/files/080...</a> £100 Billion wasted on Quangos and non Jobs.
http://tpa.typepad.com/bettergovernment/files/080…

]]>