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Posted on May 22, 2019 by Emma Willson
Billions of pounds of cost increase due to contractual change, delays introducing communication networks for our emergency services, potential strains on Army personnel – our recent reports illustrate the huge importance of getting contracts right, and what organisations need to do if they go wrong. They also reinforce the principles discussed in previous posts in our Contract insights series: the great value of information and the crucial need to act intelligently, get risk allocation right and take sufficient time to plan upfront for all scenarios. more… Getting contracts right and responding if they go wrong
Tagged with: Contract insights series Contract management Good practice principles Major projects Performance management Project management Public sector reform Risk management
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Posted on February 13, 2019 by Abdool Kara
2019 will be a pivotal year for local government in England. Numerous difficult and open-ended questions need rapid resolution, at a time when government focus and capacity is directed elsewhere. Drawing on a number of our recent reports, here I explore some of the challenges facing the sector, from budget cuts and growing social care demands, to local service funding reforms and new risks from local government commercialisation. more… Local government in 2019: a pivotal year
Tagged with: Brexit Financial sustainability Health Local government Public finances Social care Young people
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Posted on July 17, 2018 by Amyas Morse
Hundreds of major change programmes, increasing demands on and expectations of public services, productivity challenges – and the massive task of leaving the EU. In the face of such demands on skills and capacity, Sir Amyas Morse, Comptroller & Auditor General, spoke recently to the Whitehall and Industry Group (WIG) about why the public sector needs private and third sector skills, experience and capacity more than ever. The NAO Blog summarises Sir Amyas’s talk about some of the current key priorities and what is needed to make the relationship mutually successful and in the best interests of people and public services. more… Risks, resources and government-supplier relationships
Tagged with: Amyas Morse Brexit Contract management Cross-government Digital transformation Financial sustainability Major projects Private sector Productivity Project management Public finances Risk management Skills
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Posted on June 29, 2018 by Max Tse
Evolution or revolution? Inventing new services or transforming old systems and processes? Transformation programmes are complex, ever-changing and face numerous barriers; so what does it take to be one of the minority of transformation projects that succeed? How can organisations’ Boards improve the chance of success? And what does transformation have to do with wagon trains? more… Successful transformation: voices of experience
Tagged with: Audit Committees and Boards Behaviour change Cross-government Customer service Digital transformation Employee engagement Good practice principles Impacts Information management Major projects Public sector reform Risk management Skills
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Posted on June 27, 2018 by Robert White
Since the creation of the NHS, the NAO has been a critical friend. In the run up to its 70th anniversary we have been reflecting on our role in supporting improvements. more… A critical friend of the NHSTagged with: Customer service Financial sustainability Health Local government Public finances
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Posted on March 29, 2018 by Kate Mathers
How do you make complex departmental annual reports easily understandable? Do you clearly outline your goals and achievement of them? Is it easy for the public to understand your organisational risks and their management? Being clear, concise, honest and open in annual reports is a real skill. To inspire creativity and usability, our yearly guide to good practice in annual reports this year presents examples from both the public sector organisations we reviewed in the Building Public Trust Awards, and some of the private and third sector examples highlighted in other categories. more… Being honest: award-winning annual reports
Tagged with: Accountability Audit Business operations Cross-government Good practice principles Information management Performance management Public finances Reporting Third sector
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Posted on March 22, 2018 by Michael Burke
Would you be willing to pay more tax to fund care? What about paying more towards your own or your parents’ care in old-age or if you find yourself in need of disabled care? What quality of care would you expect? Are you an unpaid carer yourself? Compromises may be needed in the funding and delivery of social care in light of the combined pressures of cuts in the budgets of local governments, which spend £14.8 billion funding the care, and the high vacancy and turnover rates in the adult social care sector. Our recent reports highlight the scale of the challenges facing the government as it plans for the future. more… The social care challenge
Tagged with: Children Disability Elderly Employee engagement Financial sustainability Health Local government Public finances Skills Social care
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Posted on January 23, 2018 by Peter Langham
For more than a decade, successive governments have increased the extent to which higher education functions as a market. With higher education student debts typically totalling £50,000, going to university is now one of the biggest financial decisions of a person’s life. Yet the decision is made with limited ability to know the value of the investment, and with less consumer protection than other complex products. Our recent report on The higher education market applied our Market Analytic Toolkit: for assessing public service markets and found students have insufficient help and advice, and institutions have little competitive pressure to provide best value. more… Is the market for higher education working?
Tagged with: Behaviour change Customer service Higher Education International Performance management Public sector markets Regulation & consumer protection Young people
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Posted on November 23, 2017 by Emma Willson
Establishing solid foundations early in the contract and commercial relationship lifecycle is critical for contracts to work. But this process starts long before contracts are signed. Two recent NAO reports provide insights into the importance of getting both the procurement strategy and process right. Experience has shown that not doing so can result in millions of pounds in legal costs – £100 million in one recent case – or an uncompetitive contract leading to additional costs. This latest blog in our commercial and contract management series shares our recent insights across the market management and sourcing domain of our contracts lifecycle. more… Contract management – challenges and consequences
Tagged with: Contract insights series Contract management Cross-government Forecasting Good practice principles International Public finances
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Posted on October 24, 2017 by Elliott White
Have you ever wanted to find out how the headline data will affect you? The NAO analyses a lot of data in our work and we’ve increasingly been allowing you to explore this data, where possible. Recent interactive data tools we’ve created cover consumer protection cases, the housing market and homelessness, and the Whole of Government Accounts. In light of the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) plans about the future of Jobcentre Plus, our latest interactive data model allows you to explore the impact of its plans on journey times to jobcentres around England. more… How will it affect me? Exploring the data
Tagged with: Business operations Cost reduction Customer service Impacts Public finances Public sector reform Regulation & consumer protection
Getting contracts right and responding if they go wrong>
Local government in 2019: a pivotal year>
Risks, resources and government-supplier relationships>
Successful transformation: voices of experience>
Being honest: award-winning annual reports>
Is the market for higher education working?>
Contract management – challenges and consequences>
How will it affect me? Exploring the data>
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