Government launches scheme to improve public services

The government has launched a new scheme to improve public services which will have a significant affect on IT suppliers delivering systems to the sector.

The Customer Service Excellence (CSE) standard will help encourage a move towards public services centred around citizens' needs, rather than the needs of the state.

The aim is to encourage public sector organisations to deliver services based on a genuine understanding of the requirements of citizens, according to Tim Watson, minister for transformational government.

"The standard is designed to help public services deliver the culture change we are all determined to see," he said.

"CSE will give organisations vital tools to assess their current service and identify ways in which they can improve to ensure an approach that is truly focused around their customers."

The standard will assess organisations on five points:

- Personalisation of services.

- Collaboration with public.

- Retraining staff.

- Leadership and commitment.

- Accountability to the public.

The scheme will mean IT suppliers will have to help create a cultural change in government, said Nick Kalisperas, director of transformational government at IT trade association Intellect.

"As well as providing technology, the challenge will be over coming cultural issues – it's about more than just a ticked-box approach," he said. "A lot of it will be about training staff."

The standard will replace the outdated Charter Mark scheme, which stops this summer.

See also:

The benefits of shared services

The Home Office aims to be an example of shared services provision, says David Myers  24 Jan 2008

Local government not keen on shared services

Cost-cutting scheme is too complicated and will take too long to implement, say councils  10 Jan 2008

Shared services not delivering, says NAO

Prospective £1.4bn savings not yet materialising, according to public sector spending watchdog  29 Nov 2007

Flex take-up vital to realise its value

Much is riding on Flex. Public sector budgets are tight and shared services are crucial for plans to cut IT spend  22 Nov 2007

Shared services gathers pace

First integrated systems go live at newly-created Whitehall department  22 Nov 2007

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