SYSTEMS THINKING IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

THE FREE MARKET HAS BECOME THE ACCEPTED MODEL FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR. POLITICIANS ON ALL SIDES COMPETE TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL. AND SO, IN THE UK AND ELSEWHERE, THERE'S BEEN MASSIVE INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC SECTOR 'IMPROVEMENT', 'CUSTOMER CHOICE' HAS BEEN INCREASED AND NEW TARGETS HAVE BEEN SET AND REFINED. BUT OUR EXPERIENCE IS THAT THINGS HAVEN'T CHANGED MUCH. THIS IS BECAUSE GOVERNMENTS HAVE INVESTED IN THE WRONG THINGS. BELIEF IN TARGETS, INCENTIVES AND INSPECTION; BELIEF IN ECONOMIES OF SCALE AND SHARED BACK-OFFICE SERVICES; BELIEF IN 'DELIVEROLOGY... THESE ARE ALL WRONG-HEADED IDEAS AND YET THEY HAVE UNDERPINNED THIS GOVERNMENT'S ATTEMPTS TO REFORM THE PUBLIC SECTOR. JOHN SEDDON HERE DISSECTS THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN A RANGE OF SERVICES, INCLUDING HOUSING BENEFITS, SOCIAL CARE AND POLICING. HIS DESCRIPTIONS BEGGAR BELIEF, THOUGH THEY WOULD BE FUNNIER IF IT WASN'T OUR MONEY THAT WAS BEING WASTED. IN PLACE OF THE CURRENT MESS, HE ADVOCATES A SYSTEMS THINKING APPROACH WHERE INDIVI