Joint NAO and Audit Commission report published
A new report sets out guidance to improve service delivery.
It calls for government to establish stronger relationships with local bodies to establish “a better understanding of the challenges they face.”
Produced jointly by the Audit Commission and the National Audit Office, the report examines the “delivery chain” and identifies the areas of risk that prevent the public sector achieving Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets.
The delivery chain is the complex network of organisations that links Whitehall to the front line and includes central government, local authorities, health trusts and bodies from the private and third sectors.
Three public services are examined in the report, which identifies the critical issue as the effective management of the multiple relationships between the bodies in the delivery chain. It sets out 12 strategic questions that must be answered when designing a delivery chain, which then allows all bodies to develop a shared position.
These questions cover how the relationship between organisations must be managed, establishing appropriate targets for delivery, setting incentives fit for purpose, benchmarking performance and accountability, and ensuring efficiency is built into the process chain.
Commenting on the new report, the head of the National Audit Office, Sir John Bourn recognise that citizens now have "high expectations" for public services, but in order for these expectations to be met central government and its many partners must work together more closely.
"The relationships between all the partners in the delivery chain must be clarified and managed better. Otherwise, the greater complexity of mechanisms required to deliver improved services might bring with it greater inefficiency and wasted opportunity."
Read the report here (PDF: 1.17MB)
