PROGRESS REPORT ON PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGEMENT
INITIATIVE EVIDENCE BY THE PERMANENT SECRETARY OF THE
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR WALES
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| In my earlier evidence I described the broad outline
of the initiative. Its objective is to create a cadre
of public servants who are experienced in their own area
of the public sector but who increasingly have a good
understanding of, and experience of working in, different
parts of the public sector. This would be achieved through
joint leadership and management training and development
(including, for example, secondments). This should help
develop a common set of values and experiences among staff
in the Welsh public sector, which should broaden and enhance
their career opportunities. It should also help reduce
the 'frictions' that currently exist at certain points
in the "delivery chain", with the overall objective of
more efficient and effective public services. |
| To help develop these ideas I established a Project
Board with cross sector representation. It reported in
late 2002 with a broad outline of how the initiative could
move forward which has been endorsed by the First Minister
and by senior politicians in local government. The project
confirmed that while it is difficult to ascribe a specific
monetary value to the initiative there is a wide range
of less tangible value added benefits which can be identified. |
| These can be summarised as follows:- |
| • Enhancing the reputation of the Welsh public
service as progressive and innovative organisations and
exemplar employers |
| • The interchange of ideas and policy development
at senior levels, to include the bringing together of
local and national priorities |
| • Improved partnership and networking across the
public sectors that will lead to a better understanding
of each other's roles and responsibilities |
| • A clearer understanding of each other's priorities,
challenges and capacities that would lead, hopefully,
to better targeted and achievable plans |
| • Better learning and development opportunities
at an individual and organisational level to allow people
to contribute to their full potential |
| • Improving performance through the development
of public service leadership |
| In May 2003 I appointed one of my Executive Board Directors
as Programme Director to take the initiative forward.
She is establishing a small support team, drawn from the
potential partners. Over the next year or so I expect
the project to be firmed up to a point where we will have
firm agreement on what needs to be done and how, what
the initial focus should be and how it will develop and
a strong commitment from the various partner agencies
to make use of (and fund) the development activities being
offered. |
| Progress is envisaged on a phased, step by step basis
building up into a broad stream of activity over time.
Initially, we expect to adopt a 3 tiered approach:- |
| • Chief Executives/Directors - learning through
joint activities primarily focussed on their leadership
roles and the key issues for public service in Wales |
| • Senior and (increasingly) middle managers - opportunities
to work on practical issues across organisations, combined
with leadership development programmes to build capacity
for future roles. |
| • 'Fast-track' graduate entrants : development
of a Public Service Graduate Training Scheme for Wales,
providing placements in (at least) the Civil Service,
NHS and local government, probably combined with a Masters
programme. |
| It will be important to provide the right level of challenge
to those participating in the programme so activities
are likely to draw on high quality providers and speakers
from outside Wales as well as within Wales. Standards
must be very high to promote excellence in leaders and
managers and, through them, in the services for which
they are jointly responsible. |
| I do not expect this to result in one, monolithic, public
service for Wales. The current constitutional arrangements
mean that this is inappropriate. Rather, I would see the
public service as one entity, with several components,
where individuals have opportunities to move easily between
sectors and where all senior staff will have a good understanding
of each others' roles and organisation and, increasingly,
direct experience in other sectors. This should help foster
a common public sector ethos and values. |
| The specific activities envisaged for the next year
or so include:- |
| • Establishment of an agreed development framework
across the public sector which includes core values
and competencies (for leaders and managers) but which
draws on best practice across the UK and more widely.
It should complement and build on existing work in the
partner organisations including the NHS and its leadership
College for Wales, the National Assembly Senior Civil
Service, local authorities, and activity supported by
Syniad for the WLGA. |
| • More detailed work on anticipated benefits
which will provide a framework for specific activities,
and will also develop into an evaluation programme
for the initiative. |
| • Some early activities to help develop
understanding and ownership of the proposals and provide
opportunities for key individuals and which will also
help to test ideas as they develop. These are likely to
include:- |
| a couple of 'flagship' events for Chief Executives and
senior Directors in the -relevant organisations in Wales |
| some structured development activity for senior managers
both on leadership/management and around specific policy
issues. (The outcome of the latter may be fed back to
Chief Executives to help ensure identified improvements
are achieved) |
| A programme of secondments/shadowing opportunities |
| More detailed work on the proposed graduate trainee
scheme |
| Exploration of links with various relevant initiatives
and providers within Wales (eg the Wales Programme for
Improvement), more widely in the UK (such as the various
leadership colleges being set up in England, the Scottish
Leadership Foundation, University departments with expertise
in leadership and public sector development) and overseas
(for example, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and USA). |
| • Consensus, by summer 2004, on a longer term
programme of activities, how they will be provided
and funded and commitment from key partners to provide
funding and support. At present it is expected this will
require the establishment of a 'Centre' with a small support
team, led by an acknowledged expert on development, with
some permanent staff but primarily drawing on a range
of high quality providers within and outside Wales. This
Centre will be accountable to a joint Management
Board. It is unlikely to be formally associated with any
existing organisation (except possibly to provide support
services and infrastructure in the short to medium term).
Individual development activities are most likely to take
place in the wide range of existing institutions or other
suitable premises. |
| At this early stage support is being provided from some
of the main partner organisations, partly through the
provision of staff to take the project forward and a small
level of resource for initial activity. Over time I would
expect activities and the associated support arrangements
to be largely self funding from the resources already
being spent on training and development in the partner
organisations. Even a very small improvement in the effectiveness
of the management of the over £11 billion of the Assembly's
expenditure is likely to well outweigh the costs likely
to arise from PSMI. |
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