Fresh thinking in public services

The findings from the Government's Total Place pilot project and a joint nef and NESTA report on 'co-production' point the way ahead for innovative public service delivery.

Total Place

The Total Place project has tested a new approach to designing and delivering public services that revolves around communities in geographical places. The pilot, run in 13 pilot areas across England included a look at the role of voluntary and community organisations in helping to bring about better, more effective public services.

The project report Total Place: A whole area approach to public services published by HM Treasury and the Department for Communities and Local Government, seeks to transform the way public services will be delivered in future and presents a series of commitments that will give greater freedoms and flexibilities to support a new relationship between government and places.

Communities Secretary John Denham said:

"The pilots have made a compelling case for a radical re-think in the way local services are provided and government is responding with equal ambition by delivering the freedoms and flexibilities to make that happen.  For the first time all local spending is being looked at as a whole to fit around the needs of communities cutting out waste and duplication, while protecting and improving frontline services."

Stuart Etherington, chief executive of NCVO, said:

"This report rightly recognises the value voluntary organisations add to Total Place because of their understanding and expertise in particular issues and communities, their ability to work across organisational and geographical boundaries, and the trust and respect they have from local people.

"The pilot projects show a mixed picture with some authorities failing to work with the sector at all. Voluntary organisations play a crucial role not only in delivering services but in developing successful policies and advocating and campaigning for disadvantaged people."

While the report does map out these opportunities for the voluntary and community sector, Stuart Etherington cautioned:

"It is vital that future projects get to grips with what our sector can offer and respect all three roles, something we will be working hard to ensure."

Representatives from the Total Place project will be taking part in our user need conference in June.

Co-production

Meanwhile, the latest report from the new economics foundation and NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) on 'co-production' explores the benefits that can come from forming partnerships in which the creativity and commitment of members of the public is fused with that of frontline workers.

The report Public Services Inside Out cites a range of evidence that co-production can result in better services and outcomes, is very often cheaper than conventional services, and generates all sorts of additional social benefits.

One of the exemplar co-production projects in the report is Merevale House, a private residential home for people with dementia. The report notes that the project has won awards for its achievements, which are based on the values that "there is no 'us' and 'them'" in the home. Residents take an active role in all the day-to-day activities within the home, from preparing meals to recruiting staff and gardening. The give and take relationship between staff and residents is central to the success of the home; it allows residents to take control over their lives and fosters a collaborative and empowering sense of community. This is seen in very basic ways, for example people set the tables and eat meals together, rather than 'staff' servicing 'residents'.

However, the report also highlights that co-production is not easy: there is huge institutional resistance from professionals and organisations who feel threatened by it, and some tricky problems around funding, audit and inspection, and political culture.