Launching a major cross–government strategy to use technology more effectively, John Hutton promised a “step change” in approach to ensure the Government starts to make full use of the technological advances that are becoming increasingly common in people's lives – whether at home or on the move.
The Government will produce plans by the end of the financial year on how it intends to take forward the strategy.
Cabinet Office Minister John Hutton said: “In 1997, fewer than 16% of households had a mobile phone and fewer than one in ten used the internet. Private companies have been swift to shape their services around people's needs and lifestyles – now public services need to raise their game and offer people the levels of convenience, choice and efficiency they rightly demand.
That is why I am publishing a cross–government strategy today to ensure government uses technology more effectively to deliver better services that are focussed on the needs of the customer.”
John Hutton added: “We will also increase value for money for taxpayers by transforming the way public services join up back office services such as HR, IT and Finance. Through innovative use of technology we can save money and deliver faster and better services for people.”
The strategy sets out how public services will cater better for people's lifestyles by:
- Designing technology and services around the needs of the citizen improving the citizen's choice of interaction with public services.
- Sharing services and information across public sector to achieve efficiency and reduce duplication for staff and the public.
- Facing new challenges for technology such as those that threaten the security of people's identity.
- Professionalising IT in government to reduce failures, improve planning, delivery and skills.
- Appointing Customer Service Directors for particular groups, like older people or farmers, to ensure the services they access from different parts of government are joined up to meet their needs
Jim Murphy, Cabinet Office Minister for e-government visited Skinners’ Company’s School for Girls in Hackney London where pupils showed him how they see technology improving their lives now and in the future.
The Skinners’ Company’s School for Girls is in Hackney London. It has a Computer Club 4 Girls and uses interactive whiteboards and an intranet system, which teachers and pupils have access to for sharing of curriculum course materials. They have recently launched an electronic registration system which will soon be able to alert parents if their child has not turned up for school.
Murphy says: “I have seen and heard today from the generation growing up with the internet and text messages how they think technology can shape their lives by 2010 - the Government certainly has high expectations to meet.
“We need to continually search for better ways to deliver public services and this strategy sets out a path to do that.”
Head of the e-Government Unit and Chief Government CIO Ian Watmore said: “I want to ensure every IT professional in government has the right skills and support to make this happen. This is about designing systems around the public’s needs, using technology to deliver policy at the front line and breaking down barriers to enable us to share case information.”
Other ways to improve customer service involve slimming down the 130 call centres in central government, fewer government web sites with more use of DirectGov and Businesslink as the primary online entry point for customers. People will also be able to access information about their own records to reduce the cost of handling simple enquiries.
Commenting on the launch of the government's IT strategy, Dr Neil Bentley, director of public services at the CBI, said: "We welcome the government's vision of driving public service improvements through effective use of IT. New technology can shift the balance of control from public service providers to the citizen. This can be a powerful force for improvement by improving outcomes for the public and increasing value for money for the taxpayer.
"The government's record on IT procurement to date has been mixed, so a commitment to a shared services culture, more joined-up delivery, improving professional skills and better management of suppliers is very encouraging. Business will do what it can to make sure this bold agenda is delivered in full.
"The government has recognised business should be properly engaged with both as a user and as a supplier of IT services, and that lessons can be learned from us on transforming services and developing better customer focus. The creation of the Service Transformation Board and appointment of Customer Group Directors will be crucial to this and we look forward to working with both."
Quelle: Publictechnology, 02.11.2005
