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Posts tagged: "Public sector markets"
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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: Behaviour change, Customer service, Higher Education, International, Performance management, Public sector markets, Regulation & consumer protection, Young people
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Posted on November 22, 2016 by Charles Nancarrow
What do energy suppliers, railways, doctors and rubbish collectors have in common? The answer: they, and many others, deliver essential services that involve, to a greater or lesser extent, a ‘market mechanism’. In a world with a wide range of public service delivery mechanisms, including direct service provision (the military, tax collectors, police, NHS A&E services etc.) our new public service Market Analytic Toolkit is the latest NAO resource designed to help government address a set of new challenges around its use of markets to deliver public services, including oversight, consumer protection, regulation and helping to achieve effective competition and innovative delivery. more… Making public sector markets workTagged: Contract management, Customer service, Devolution, Public sector markets, Public sector reform, Regulation & consumer protection, Risk management, Third sector
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Posted on November 16, 2016 by Emma Willson
Many critical government activities rely on contracts. Following a review of our past work, and discussions across government, we’ve brought together our insights into what works well and less well across government commercial and contracting. We’ve identified case studies based on our past reports and what this means for emerging best practice. This post highlights our findings and explains the challenge for government to meet these higher standards. more… Government’s contracts – new insights into best practiceTagged: Contract insights series, Contract management, Cross-government, Good practice principles, Performance management, Process management, Project management, Public sector markets, Risk management, Shared services, Skills
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Posted on September 9, 2016 by Charles Nancarrow
“Twenty years ago when accountability of public institutions was discussed, the NAO’s name was not mentioned; it is now.” So said a leading expert in competition law, speaking at an NAO Competition Seminar in June to discuss where the competition regime needs to be by 2020. With competition central to the government’s ambitions to improve growth and productivity, and consumers harmed by anti-competitive practices, this seminar was an excellent example of how the NAO’s cross-government role and its influence can truly help to drive public service improvement. more… Driving forward competition in the UK economyTagged: Accountability, Competition, Cross-government, Customer service, Public sector markets
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Posted on May 19, 2016 by Andrew Denney
£225 billion of taxpayers’ money is spent annually with private and voluntary providers. Health, justice, employment and many other public services are delivered by them. This delivery can be complex and high risk, and very high profile if providers fail. Government Commercial and Contracting: an overview of the NAO’s work highlights some of the key challenges faced by government and brings together findings from our work across these challenges. We invite you to join the discussion and help us do more to share thinking and practices across government. more… Joining the dots: the picture from government contractingTagged: Accountability, Contract management, Cross-government, Good practice principles, Performance management, Public sector markets, Risk management, Skills, Third sector
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Posted on April 1, 2016 by Christopher Woolley
Yes, according to Daniel Kish. He’s a blind Californian who uses echolocation. He creates a mental map using sound, rather than by sight. With lots of practice, he learnt to ride a bike – on public roads, safely – a feat many regard impossible for the blind. more… Can blind people cycle?Tagged: Customer service, Health, Local government, Public sector markets
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Posted on February 26, 2016 by Kate Mathers
The organisations we audit told us our ‘how to’ guides and frameworks are very useful – but hard to find on our website. They were right. So we’re delighted to say that we’ve now put them all in one place: our new Self-assessment resources web-page. So if you’re about to undertake a self-assessment and planning process, there may be something on this page to save you reinventing a wheel. To illustrate, this post highlights some of the resources you can find on our new page. more… Why reinvent the wheel?Tagged: Business operations, Cost reduction, Good practice principles, Performance management, Process management, Public sector markets, Risk management
Is the market for higher education working?
Making public sector markets work
Government’s contracts – new insights into best practice
Driving forward competition in the UK economy
Joining the dots: the picture from government contracting
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