A new Audit Commission report published today assesses progress in improving data quality – especially performance data – in the NHS. It reports on-going problems with embedding a culture of good data quality into NHS organisations. Continue reading “Quality Performance Data – for the NHS and everyone else too?”
Category: Performance
HMRC – Efficiency or ‘Stealth Cuts’?
In the ‘2004 Spending Review: final report on the efficiency programme’ (published Nov last year) the government claimed that the Chancellor’s departments – including the mammoth HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) had allegedly ‘saved’ £680m (against a target of £550m) and cut 16,000 jobs (mostly from HMRC).
This might sound quite impressive, until you look at some other rather disturbing news….. Continue reading “HMRC – Efficiency or ‘Stealth Cuts’?”
HM Treasury and “Efficiency”
To London yesterday (25 Mar 09) to brief the sub-committee of the Treasury Select Committee which is carrying out an enquiry into efficiency of HM Treasury and its departments, including the mammoth HM Revenue and Customs.
It was great session with most of the members giving up an hour of their valuable time and a creating a very lively discussion. Thanks to the sub-committee chair Michael Fallon for giving me the opportunity to do it.
The briefing session was about general issues surrounding the whole efficiency programmes of the government, rather than focussed on the Chancellor’s departments – the sub-committee will be taking formal evidence on those later.
Damned Targets?
“On Tuesday, the Healthcare Commission report revealed that between 2005 and 2008 there were 400 excess deaths at [Stafford] hospital – although it was impossible to say whether these had all been caused by bad care. The report said there were deficiencies at “virtually every stage” of emergency care and managers pursued targets to the detriment of patient care.” Report on BBC website (emphasis added).
The story of undoubted and appalling failure at an English hospital is being widely blamed in the media, by opposition politicians, doctors leaders and some academics, on the so-called ‘target culture’ in public services. But the truth is rather more complicated and harder to explain. Continue reading “Damned Targets?”
Whitehall inefficiency a thing of the past?
After the government allegedly exceeded its own target to save £21.5bn from its last efficiency drive – the ‘Gershon’ programme 2004-7 – and actually save £26bn, you would think there is little left for the National Audit Office to do. Just issue the odd report saying how well Whitehall is doing and then nip out for some golf. Continue reading “Whitehall inefficiency a thing of the past?”
The Art of Performance
The major first report by the UK’s latest ‘think tank’, the Institute for Government led by well-known and outspoken former Permanent Secretary Sir Michael Bichard, bodes well for the future of the new body. It is a serious, measured and balanced account of many of the achievements and problems experienced in the UK. Continue reading “The Art of Performance”
Capable in a Crisis?
Sir Gus O’Donnell, head of the UK civil service, in a recent speech outlined why he thought the British civil service would perform well in the current financial and economic crisis. In an article – “Mandarin-tinted glasses” – published in Public Finance magazine, I ask questions just how well Whitehall is really doing – based on their reports of their performance. Continue reading “Capable in a Crisis?”
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