Downloadable papers by subject area

2008: the future for public services?

In October 1998, PMF invited a panel of 236 leaders from the private, public and charitable sectors to contribute to a study looking into the future. Asked to predict changes in the economic, demographic technological and political conditions within which public services would be operating ten years from then, their responses were analysed, clustered into two groups and then refined by the panel members them serves.

The result was two quite different predictions of the future: these are presented in this report as two contrasting scenarios. There are also two papers by leading political commentators and a report of a seminar that PMF held to discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by each scenario.

The value of these scenarios will be in their use within public services and especially at local level. This report does not contain the future but, used well, it may help others create it.

A4; 48pp; October 1998
ISBN 1 898531 51 X
free PDF download 2008: the future for public services?

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Acting now for tomorrow's Scotland: future scenarios 2012

This is a report of OPM's study of the future for Scotland's public services.
More than 100 leaders and practitioners in Scotland were invited to take part in three survey rounds over three months. Their individual views were distilled into two alternative scenarios for Scotland in the year 2012.

Scenario planning is a well-established way of helping devise medium-term contingencies for action, just in case that what everyone assumes is going to happen doesn't. More important, it helps us to understand what we have to do in any case - what actions are necessary and will remain robust regardless of what occurs in the future.

While each scenario poses different opportunities and challenges, there are common elements and themes in both. The report goes on to suggest actions that should be taken now regardless of whatever future developments occur.

188mmx244mm; 60pp; Oct 2002
ISBN: 1 898531 73 3
free PDF download Acting now for tomorrow's Scotland

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The Blair Centre: a question of command and control

a political commentary by Peter Hennessy

This paper was delivered to the Public Management Foundation on 20 October 1998, as one of the Foundation's series of seminars on topical issues affecting the management and delivery of public services. [see also Prof Hennessy's other paper, Rulers and Servants of the State, below]

download The Blair Centre

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The Case for the Public Interest Company

This discussion paper examines the PIC form in detail. It looks first at the problems with existing organisational structures when applied to public services. It compares three existing alternative models and takes three examples - the water industry, the rail network and the local education authority - and shows how the PIC could lead to better value for money and improved services.

download The Case for the Public Interest Company

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The Collaborative State collection [Demos]

visit the Demos website to find out about this publication

OPM Principal, Sue Goss, has contributed the chapter, 'How far have we travelled towards a collaborative state?' to the Demos publication, The Collaborative State: How working together can transform public services

You can find out about the publication by following the link to the Demos website.

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Creativity: Unlocking Creativity in Public Services

With society's needs and demands changing all the time, no public service organisation can afford to stand still for long. Innovation is called for - both to respond to new situations and to find better approaches to familiar ones. And innovation depends on creativity - the new and imaginative thinking about problems that is the source of solutions that work. In this public interest research report, OPM investigates what encourages creativity, and what blocks it. The researchers have analysed what public service organisations must do to generate more ideas and implement their own productive innovations.

download Unlocking Creativity in Public Services [note large file size, over 2MB]

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The Glue that Binds:
the public value of public services

download PDF of 'The Glue that Binds' (note large file size: 2Mb)

The first in an annual series (1996-98) of research into what members of the public said they wanted from public services. [See also Making the Connections(1998) and Hitting Local Targets (1997)]

As part of the debate on the role of public services and - by extension - on the role of government, the Public Management Foundation commissioned MORI to conduct a survey on the state of public services: What do British people expect from public services as contributors to their individual and social well-being, and are they getting it? The survey of 1,000 individuals across the UK was conducted in February 1996 and took the form of telephone and face-to-face interviews. People were asked what organisations and services they considered to be public services. What public services are most important to them, their families and their communities? How should public services be run? And what should be done to improve them?

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Good Governance Standard for Public Services

The Independent Commission on Good Governance in Public Services, chaired by Sir Alan Langlands, worked throughout 2004. From two rounds of consultation, the Commission drew on the views of a wide range of people with experience of governance, and of service users and citizens, to produce the Good Governance Standard for Public Services. The Commission's work is reported on the ICGGPS 'mini-site'.

The Standard presents six principles of good governance that are common to all public service organisations and are intended to help all those with an interest in public governance to assess good governance practice.

You can download a copy of the Good Governance Standard for Public Services (pdf, 200kb)

or if you would like a printed copy, visit our bookstore or post a cheque or your organisation's official order form to 'Publications' at OPM. Single copies cost £10; the price reduces to £5 if you buy more than five copies, but you need to contact us if you want this discount (not available through our online bookstore).

Going forward

We have revisited the Standard three years after publication. This report summarises what we know about how the standard has been used, the new challenges arising from the changing policy context for governance, and how good governance might be taken forward in the public interest.

Going Forward with Good Governance (pdf, 173kb)

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Hitting Local Targets:
the public value of public services

download PDF of 'Hitting Local Targets' (760 Kb)

The second in an annual series (1996-98) of research into what members of the public said they wanted from public services. [See also Making the Connections(1998) and The Glue that Binds (1996)]

The first survey, The Glue that Binds, identified that the public considers health, policing and education to be the most important public services. This second survey, Hitting Local Targets, looked at what kinds of improvements members of the public wanted to see in the way these local services are developed.
ISBN 1 898531 30 0

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Joined Up Management

Written by Greg Parston and Nicholas Timmins, Joined-Up Management calls on public managers adopt new approaches to tackling problems that do not fit into the narrow departmental functions of traditional public service organisations.

The book describes a series of 'brainstorming' sessions about the links between across-the-board changes in national policies and the delivery of results at local level. The participants at these sessions included ministers, policy advisors, representatives of community agencies and interest groups and managers - people actively engaged in these issues on a day-to-day basis.

download Joined-Up Management, 1998 ISBN 1 898531 52 8

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Local Solutions or Postcode Lotteries?
The acceptability of difference in public services

download the 'Postcode Lotteries' paper

What exactly is a 'postcode lottery'? Is it unfair differences in services or a local solution to fit local priorities? And what, in the eyes of citizens, makes differences in service provision between areas acceptable or not? Prompted by our Public Interest General Council, OPM decided to make postcode lotteries the focus of our public interest work in 2006/7. Specifically, we have set out to research the acceptability of difference and the question of what makes geographic variations in services acceptable to the public. This report brings together our initial review of the literature with the outcomes from two simulation events at which citizens and managers tested the issues and drew their own conclusions.

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Making a Difference
– Women in Public Appointments

Research findings (PDF 511KB)

Best Practice Guide (PDF 331KB)

Diverse and heterogeneous representation on the boards of public bodies contributes greatly to their effectiveness. The requirement for diverse boards is now clearly reflected in Government policy, which includes a target of equal representation of women and men in public appointments.

This research report and the companion best practice guide were commissioned by the DETR and its successor department, DTLR, to enable them to understand the reasons for under-representation of women in public bodies and to make recommendations on how this issue can be addressed.

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Making the Connections:
citizens mapping the big picture

download PDF of 'Making the Connections' (note large file size: 1.5Mb)

The third in an annual series (1996-98) of research into what members of the public said they wanted from public services. [See also The Glue that Binds(1996) and Hitting Local Targets (1997)]

65 residents in one urban community attended a day-long event which we organised on behalf of the Public Management Foundation. The purpose was to enable them to explore and then map the relationships, as they saw them, between themselves, public services and wider community resources and to tell us how these combine to achieve health, learning and safety for themselves as individuals and for the community as a whole. Our aim was to learn more about the connections that people make between their real life problems and experiences and the public service organisations and delivery mechanisms that are meant to be in place to serve them.
ISBN 1 898531 471

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The public interest company as a mechanism to improve service delivery

by Charles Brecher

Public Management Foundation working paper on how the public interest company (PIC) organisational form could bring improvements to public services such as the London Underground and NHS trusts. Included an outline of what conditions an organisation must conform to in order to qualify as a PIC. Published in 2002.

Download The PIC as a mechanism ... (PDF 440KB)

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Rulers and Servants of the State

a political commentary by Peter Hennessy

Peter Hennessy, Attlee Professor of Contemporary British History at Queen Mary, University of London, presented his personal overview of the political environment, and the Blair style of government, at a seminar we held in 2004. [see also Prof Hennessy's other paper, The Blair Centre, above]

Download Rulers and Servants of the State

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What Makes a Public Service Public?

We asked members of the public, 'What is a public service?' The answers they gave show that individuals are inconsistent and confused because they hear and experience many contradictory things about 'public services'.

They see services provided by the state and by business as 'public' services but there is a deep suspicion about the private sector providing services that are seen as essential for public welfare. Their definition of public services is not restricted to those that receive money from the public purse.

The report concludes that neither elected people nor the providers of services should take their relationship with the public for granted.

A5; 32pp; June 2001
ISBN 1 904002 01 3
free PDF  download PDF of 'What Makes a Public Service Public?'

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Co-production, social capital and service effectiveness

by Clive Miller and Jude Cummins

Personalisation, the lead role of the local authority in 'place shaping' and the focus on producing outcomes rather than delivering services are all examples of the radical rethink that is affecting the design and delivery of public services. What has been missing, however, is a thorough analysis of how outcomes are produced and the role that service users and social capital play alongside service providers in producing those outcomes. This paper provides the missing link by describing the concept and practice of the co-production of outcomes. We explore what is meant by co-production, how it can be used to re-frame the way local people and whole systems of public services work together to achieve outcomes, describes its practical use in making joint commissioning more effective and explores its implications for democratic renewal.

Download 'Co-production, social capital and service effectiveness' (PDF 1MB) or buy a printed copy from our bookstore

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Involvement for real equality: report for the Disability Rights Commission

This report describes the benefits gained and lessons learned through involving disabled people in the development and implementation of disability equality schemes in a range of public organisations. It suggests that while involving disabled people may present challenges for some authorities, if properly resourced and meaningfully conducted, it can result in significant benefits for all those concerned.

download Involvement for real equality

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Managing for Social Cohesion

This book was written in 1999, and much has moved on since then in the field of tackling social exclusion. Nevertheless, there are still many areas where agencies, partnerships and policy makers alike continue to struggle.

This book argues that the reasons are many and varied. Perverse policy incentives can lead public services to create rather than combat exclusion. A lack of effective collaboration between agencies is a continuing problem, as is their failure in the past to engage with socially excluded people when redesigning their services. And while local authorities, for example, have established 'tackling social exclusion' as a major corporate objective, they still struggle to make their efforts bite. Even where organisations have created specialist posts, these often fall outside of the organisational mainstream.

But this book goes on to show how improved management practice can contribute a great deal to tackling social exclusion. It does so both by making a reasoned argument and by describing a model that OPM developed. The use that managers can make of the model is explained in detail and the book is copiously illustrated by examples of good practice (and otherwise).

October 1999
ISBN: 1 898531 49 8
free PDF  download PDF of 'Managing for Social Cohesion'

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Managing for social result

At OPM we often speak of 'managing for social result'. This paper explains in detail what we mean by the phrase and looks at the complex web of demands and expectations to which managers need to respond if they are to do their job well.

Managing for social result (pdf 497kb)

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Managing Projects to a Successful Conclusion

What is a successful conclusion to a project? This practical booklet begins by distinguishing between the outputs of a project and its outcomes and then outlines a six-step programme to help managers ensure that their projects achieve both.

As well as examining in some detail the progress of a typical project, a series of checklists at the end of the booklet can be used to ensure that all the important stages in a project are well managed and the required benefits, the outputs and outcomes, are achieved.

24pp A5; August 2000
ISBN 1 898531 64 1
free PDF  download PDF of 'Managing Projects'

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Practical Benchmarking to Make a Difference

This introduction to the use of benchmarking tools has been written for local authority managers who need to meet the requirement of ''continuous improvement'.

The booklet was first prepared in conjunction with the Chief Executive's Department of Kingston upon Hull City Council who were undertaking a comprehensive training programme with managers at all levels. They wanted a practical workbook that covered all the relevant issues succinctly and in a straightforward manner.

After looking at what benchmarking is and how it fits with service reviews and other methods of continuous improvement, the author outlines a 12-step plan to guide the reader through a typical benchmarking programme. Practical tips and suggestions are also given on networking and benchmarking visits.
16pp A5; August 2000
ISBN 1 898531 65 X
free PDF  download PDF of 'Practical Benchmarking'

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Results Through Partnership

This booklet examines the use of whole system events such as simulations, 'future search' conferences and 'open space technology' to improve strategic planning while developing partnerships between local services and communities.

Written with the Crime and Disorder Act in mind, it will be of interest to people in local authorities as well as those in the police.

The contents include:

• The 'anatomy' of a partnership between public agencies
• Involving stakeholders in multi-agency planning
• Achieving lasting results with commitment and creativity
• What are 'whole system' events?
• Creating strategies that work

16pp A5)
ISBN 1 898531 43 9
free PDF  download PDF of 'Results through Partnership'

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Seven principles for effective change in social justice and inclusion

Have we made progress in social justice and social inclusion? If so, what has made the difference? This paper takes a different approach to most. The author, Anna Eliatamby, departs from the usual 'academic' approach and uses song lyrics to help us understand the impact of initiatives in the areas of social justice and inclusion. She looks at the seven principles that lie behind any successful initiative: unity, self-determination, working together, a desire to create beauty, using money wisely, being purposeful, and having the will to succeed.

Seven principles (PDF 52KB)

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Whole System Events

This paper is about how bringing together large groups of people at 'whole system events' (WSEs) to discuss and resolve how best to move into the future is changing the way strategies are created and implemented.

WSEs offer practical and profound methodologies for adding ethics and value to the processes of strategic leadership and planning. They offer a proud way of creating the future rather than being buffeted by it. The purpose of this paper is to describe the problems with traditional strategic planning, demonstrate how the principles of WSEs overcome these and outline some of the WSE templates available, including how and when they should be used.

Download the paper. [PDF, 150Kb] Feb06

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Appreciative Inquiry: Positive psychology for organisational change

In this short article we aim to highlight one approach within the positive psychological tradition, describing the methodology, contrasting it to traditional models of organisational change, suggesting when it is of most value and, lastly, providing a short case study.
Appreciative Inquiry: Positive psychology for organisational change (PDF 77KB)

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Appreciative Inquiry: Professional standards research

People do not always react well to organisational development 'interventions', and their resistance can be quite forceful. New management thinking is that it is possible to harness this 'negative force' and put it to positive good. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is gaining ground as a valuable tool here, and one that is being used by leading firms to drive forward change within already successful organisations.

This article, first published in People Management and People Management Online, describes a case study that demonstrates how AI could be used in the public sector. Download Appreciative Inquiry: Professional standards research

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Evaluating Leadership Development in the NHS

The Development and Evaluation Directorate of the NHS Leadership Centre commissioned this Guide to Evaluating Leadership Development in March 2005. It aims to provide those involved in leadership development with a guide that is clear, practical and concise.

Download the guide [PDF, 369KB]

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How to manage trauma

This short article describes a series of steps that individuals can take both individually and with colleagues to manage the impact of traumatic events. These can be divided into physical, behavioural and cognitive steps.
How to manage trauma (PDF 34KB)

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Leadership: a personal view

OPM director Paul Tarplett presents his personal views on leadership in two short papers, 'Leadership: current thinking and how it developed' and 'Personal Leadership'

Download the 'current thinking' article as a PDF) (120Kb

Download the 'personal leadership' article as a PDF(105Kb)

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Managing change - managing grief

This short paper develops the idea that change in an organisation can provoke a grief response - not unlike a response to a major life change such as a family death or the end of a long term relationship.

Download the article as a PDF (36Kb)

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Mentoring for successful secondments

Secondment into positions in other organisations, and perhaps into a different sector altogether, is increasingly becoming seen as a means of developing employees. This is especially so in the context of neighbourhood renewal and regeneration. Judith Smyth discusses ways in which an experienced mentor can help someone on secondment to deal with the three typical phases of secondment, 'initial confusion', 'achievement' and 'demobilisation'.

Download the article as a PDF (36Kb)

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Rise and Shine

Citizens are demanding services 24:7 while the human body clock is not designed to work shifts or during the night. What can our understanding of Circadian rhythms tell us and help us work more in sync with our bodies?

Rise and Shine (PDF 93Kb)

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Balancing Community Interests

Abstract of a speech by Sue Goss, OPM Principal,
at the Solace Conference 0ctober 2005

Leadership, in local government, is no longer simply a matter of leading the organisation called the local council. It is about leadership within a place and offering leadership to a messier network of partner agencies, the private sector and the wider community.

Government attention is shifting from service delivery to the achievement of social outcomes. Most of us in the local government family welcome this - and have been suggesting that the role of community leadership is a strong, vigorous one, requiring power and leverage to achieve radical changes in the lives of local people. But how do we achieve this while balancing the needs and interests of our different communities?

download the paper (pdf, 40kb)

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Beyond Good Intentions

We produced this resource for local authorities implementing the Disability Equality Duty for the Disability Rights Commission in 2006. It provides practical guidance and pointers for:

• decision makers at elected member and director/senior management level, and
• senior managers responsible for corporate policy, social inclusion and equalities.

The resource takes the form of an interactive PDF, making it easy to reach different sections according to your particular interest or need.

Download Beyond Good Intentions Note the larger file size: more than 2MB

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Customer and community engagement: a briefing paper

The issues surrounding possible local government re-organisation and delegation of powers to communities are complex.But one thing is clear: councils need to be sure that their relationships with customers and communities are as strong as possible. Achieving this requires change to both the way councils work and the way members and staff think. This briefing summarises: the drivers of change; keys to success; approaches to planning and improvement; and some examples of tools and techniques.

Download Customer and community engagement

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Evaluating the impact of the Disability Rights Commission

In October 2007 the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) closed, to be replaced by the Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR). The CEHR has also assumed the responsibilities of the Commission for Racial Equality and the Equal Opportunities Commission. In June 2006 the DRC asked OPM to conduct a thorough evaluation of the impact of some key aspects of DRC activity and to identify possible lessons to be drawn. The final report from the evaluation has now been published by the DRC and is available for download. This evaluation was very unusual, in that it tried to capture the impact and effectiveness of an equalities organisation with wide-ranging, long-term aims but only a comparatively short time in existence.

Download final report of the Disability Rights Commission evaluation
Download the executive summary only

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Future policies for governance and public engagement (case studies 2006)

This document contains examples of good practice, or innovative developments, in response to the current forces and drivers operating on local government.

Download Future policies for governance and public engagement

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Involvement for Real Equality: The benefits for public services of involving disabled people

This report describes the benefits gained and lessons learned through involving disabled people in the development and implementation of disability equality schemes (DES) in a range of public organisations. It suggests that while involving disabled people may present challenges for some authorities, if properly resourced and meaningfully conducted, it can result in significant benefits for all those concerned.

Download a copy of Involvement for Real Equality

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Local area agreements: evaluation for DCLG (ODPM)

OPM was commissioned by the DCLG (formerly ODPM) as part of a consortium — with the University of the West of England and the Local Government Centre at Warwick Business School — to carry out a process evaluation of the first 21 Local Area Agreement Pilots, which was published in 2005. The partnership was subsequently commissioned to conduct a process evaluation of the 66 round 2 LAAs and an impact evaluation of the implementation of the round 1 LAAs. The report of this work has been published (find report on the DCLG website). You can also read a short summary of the process here.

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Local government efficiency

As part of the process of preparing robust plans for Comprehensive Spending Review 2007, the Department of Communities and Local Government commissioned this report to examine a number of aspects of local government efficiency, exploring opportunities for increasing efficiency savings.

Download a copy of Local government efficiency – case studies and literature review

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Lyons Inquiry Public Deliberation Events report

Report of the nine one-day deliberative workshops held during July and August 2006 to explore the views of the general public with regard to some of the issues being considered by the Lyons Inquiry into local government. OPM designed and facilitated the events in conjunction with the Lyons Inquiry team.

download the report

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Mapping Approaches to Integrating PIs across LSPs: full report and annexes

We have reproduced only the main report (PDF 350KB) here. It can also be found, along with all the annexes, on the CLG website: http://www.communities.gov.uk

This study forms part of a longer-term national evaluation of LSPs. The purpose of this particular strand of work was to map and explore cases of perceived good practice in integrating, aligning, or creating a framework for performance indicators. This paper is based on brief research in nine case study LSPs, chosen on the basis that they each had a reputation for having made considerable progress in, or adopting an innovative approach to, the selection, development and use of shared cross-sectoral indicators. The report gives an overview of approaches to performance management and the use of PIs in the case study partnerships; details of each case study are given in separate annexes.

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Measuring social capital in Camden

In 2005 OPM was commissioned by Camden Council to carry out a survey to track changes in social capital. This followed on from our work with them in 2002 to develop measurements of social capital and conduct a baseline survey. The survey allowed comparisons between different areas of Camden, with a particular focus on Neighbourhood Renewal Areas to measure the impact of the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy and Community Strategy on life in Camden.

In March 2006, OPM contributed to a joint publication between Camden Council and the IPPR (Institute for Public Policy Research) exploring the implications of social capital for local government.

Download the article from Sticking Together [PDF, 92 KB]

Download the complete Sticking Together publication [PDF, 357 KB]

See also 'Co-production, social capital and service effectiveness' above

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Neighbourhood Renewal: the implications

OPM was commissioned by LB Lewisham to run two in-house programmes for managers across the authority, covering Organisational Implications of the Neighbourhood Renewal Agenda , and Neighbourhood Renewal as a Lever for CPA . We ran them in early 2004.

This report captures the feedback from those sessions. We hope it will be useful not only for the managers who attended but for others with an interest in those subjects.

Implications of Neighbourhood Renewal Workshops (PDF 100KB)

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Progress on the Equality Standard for Local Government in London Councils

OPM has published its findings from phase 1 of Capital Ambition's work on the Equality Standard for Local Government (ESLG). Capital Ambition has a target of 90% of boroughs reaching Level 4 of the ESLG by the end of December 2008. OPM was commissioned in November 2006 to undertake research and analysis on the current status of London authorities around Equalities and the barriers facing boroughs in reaching level 4 of the ESLG. The methods of research included web based surveys, telephone interviews and a workshop for Equalities leads in January 2007.

The findings revealed that the majority of London boroughs have no external support in progressing the ESLG and lack the resources available to carry out this important work. It was identified that more senior level support was required to champion the Equalities agenda. Capital Ambition is a partnership of 33 London boroughs, councils, the Greater London Authority (GLA) and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) to drive up standards and ensure that London is a better place in which to live and work.

Download the full report (PDF, 295kb)

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Review of the UK Youth Parliament

The aim of the UKYP is to empower young people from the ages of 11 to 18 by giving them the chance to influence national and local government. To ensure that UKYP has the structures and support necessary to sustain its continued growth and enable it to meet its objectives, the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) decided to undertake a comprehensive review of the UKYP. OPM was delighted to be commissioned to carry out this review.

Download the full report (PDF, 3.28mb: please note the large file size)

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Spaghetti disjunction? London governance (seminar report 2005)

Spaghetti Disjunction? was a seminar organised by the Centre for Excellence in the Governance of London in 2003 to look at the problems associated with the complex nature of governance in the city. It brought together key people from across all sectors who have an interest and a stake in generating ideas about, and finding solutions to, the multifarious challenges of coordinating public services in the city.

Download Spaghetti disjunction? London governance

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Tackling Homelessness: learning from New York (seminar report, Feb04)

In November 2003, representatives from a number of London-based organisations visited New York and met with individuals and bodies with responsibility for tackling homelessness-related problems. The London Housing Foundation funded the visit.

In February 2004, the Centre for Excellence in the Governance of London and the London Housing Foundation organised a seminar to share the main findings and learning from this study visit. This is a report of that seminar.

Download Tackling Homelessness: learning from New York

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Why health? the economic case

Commissioned by the London Development Agency, this study explores the links between health improvement and sustainable economic development.

For policy-makers and practitioners involved in economic development the report builds a robust, evidence-based case for why health impact should be taken into account in shaping their work. For those involved in health activity the report evidences how sustainable economic development can significantly contribute to their objectives. For example, Care Minister Ivan Lewis notes: 'We should think, too, about the wider benefits of some of the [care services] initiatives that are going on - a recent Office for Public Management study highlights the mutually reinforcing relationship between economic development and health.'

Read more and download papers

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Care Collaborations in South Lanarkshire

In 2003, the Joint Future Partnership in South Lanarkshire commissioned OPM to seek the views of local people on how well health and social care services were performing and how they could be improved. We held a series of local consultation events, the results of which were used to extend the operation of good practice across the whole South Lanarkshire area.

In 2005, we were asked to build upon this work, and to undertake a similar consultation - this time extending to cover services for all adult community care groups. The purpose of this work was to provide an opportunity for the Joint Future Partnership to reflect upon its progress, and to consider how to further build upon good practice in South Lanarkshire. As in 2003, consultation events across held across four local regions, bringing together service users, carers, service managers and professionals to discuss health and social care services, and to explore recommendations for improvement.

Care Collaborations for Older People's and Adult Services (pdf, 215kb)

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Care Trusts: Opportunities, Problems and Actions

A literature review we did in 2001
Care Trusts: Opportunities, Problems and Actions(PDF 44KB)

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Creating the Climate: Health futures for Wales

In 2000, we were commissioned to design and run four open simulation events to assist stakeholders (from both inside and outside the NHS) think about the long term vision for the NHS in Wales.

Creating the Climate was based on a highly realistic simulation of health services in Wales. Our intention was to create a safe learning environment where a wide range of people – NHS professionals, managers and policy makers, together with members of the public and their elected representatives, as well as leaders and opinion formers from the voluntary sector, business and the media – were able to work in partnership to develop a clearer, more realistic sense of direction for the NHS in Wales.

February 2001
ISBN: 1 898531 67 6
download PDF of 'Creating the Climate'

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E2A: Understanding the transition from evidence to action in health and social care

The Evidence to Action (E2A) project used stroke care as a case study to examine how evidence about what works best can be turned into real improvements in patient care.

The project was designed by OPM, in collaboration with the Department of Health London Region Research and Development Directorate.

There were three phases to the project: a review of the existing evidence of good practice in stroke care; a 'whole systems' event to test the implementation of evidence-based practice; and a survey of stroke teams. The report presents the findings of the project, and includes guidance for organisations and professionals involved in health care.

E2A: Understanding the transition from evidence to action in health and social care (PDF 227KB)

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Exploring the Future of Unpaid Carers in Scotland

Support for unpaid carers has rightly become an important policy area in Scotland. In some ways, Scotland is ahead of other parts of the UK when it comes to developing services for carers.

To build on this, the Scottish Executive undertook a project looking into the future needs of unpaid carers, and how services might need to change over the next 10 years.

During the project we worked with carers themselves, as well as with voluntary and statutory organisations involved in delivering services for service users and carers.

Download Exploring the Future of Unpaid Carers in Scotland

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'Getting Ahead of the Curve': exploring the future of community health care

Will contestability and choice bring improvements in primary and community health services? The West Yorkshire and the Avon, Gloucester & Wiltshire Strategic Health Authorities together with the Nurse Directors Association wanted to find out how some of the alternative models for might work in the new environment and to see if sensible judgements could be made about what might be their benefits and drawbacks. They were also keen to learn about the implications for the development of nurse leaders in the community.

Download Getting ahead of the curve. [PDF, 280 KB]

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Joint Appointments Guide and research findings

• Joint Appointments Guide (England)
• Joint Appointments Guide case studies and evaluation report
• Joint Appointments Guide (Scotland)

The Joint Appointments Guide provides detailed advice on setting up, managing and maintaining joint appointments for health improvement between health organisations and local government.

Commissioned by the Department of Health South East Regional Office and carried out by OPM, the guide is for:

• people involved in setting up joint appointments between organisations
• people already managing or working with joint appointees

The guide is based on extensive research, including a literature review and case studies.

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Involving people in health

This paper considers how public involvement in information about performance can be harnessed to improve the quality and public accountability of health services. It draws on discussions with eighteen user organisations and a small group of heart patients about the publication and use of performance data.

The paper was published by The Nuffield Trust for whom OPM undertook the research. It is also available, along with other Nuffield papers at www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk

Involving People in Health (PDF 476kb)

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Leadership for global health

This paper presents the results of a short Project carried out to inform the Human capacity building for global health project for the Gates Foundation. The authors propose a model for leadership development, and assess some other approaches against it. Throughout, the emphasis is on leadership for health in a globalising world.

Leadership for global health (PDF 195kb)

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Learning from the NHS in change

A study of the management of major structural change in the NHS, 2003

This report, which we compiled in 2003 for the Office for Health Management (Ireland), explores how learning from the UK experience can assist strategic planning and organisational development in the Irish health services as they move into a period of unprecedented structural change. It details the nature of organisational change in the NHS over the last 15 years, and includes an analysis of the change management approaches used in the NHS.

Download Learning from the NHS in change (PDF 388KB)

Link to the Office for Health Management website

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Levers, contracts and choice – the future of primary care

Our new report comes at a time when, quite aside from the 'streamlining' agenda, primary care services are in a state of flux, with new contracts being put in place for GPs and pharmacists, primary care practices being asked to take on the commissioning of specialist health services, and rumours circulating that the Government are interested in providing patients with greater choice in primary care.

The report details the findings of an interactive behavioural simulation (Utilising the Contracts) that we ran, designed to test out how all these policy changes are likely to affect the future shape of primary care, especially how it will be provided and by whom.

Download Levers, contracts and choice. [PDF, 200Kb]

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Making consultation real: a toolkit for health and social care

  OPM produced a consultation toolkit for health and social care organisations in Wales. It was designed to help the NHS, social services, community health councils (CHCs) and the voluntary sector work together to undertake effective and meaningful consultation with service users and carers and the wider public.

An accessible and practical resource, the toolkit:

• seeks to put user and public consultation in context and explain what consulting properly involves;
• identifies eight core principles of good consultation practice and describes what those consulting should be doing and what those being consulted ought to experience if these principles are followed;
• explores some of the challenges faced putting these principles into practice;
• provides a selection of twenty one practice case studies of recent consultation experience from Welsh health and social care organisations.

It is very much intended as a reference resource to be dipped into as needs require. It may be used as a planning tool, a research aid and reference resource, an evaluation framework to benchmark against, a model and reminder of what good practice and performance looks and feels like, and a potential training resource.

The toolkit is in the form of an accessible, interactive PDF. You can download the toolkit here. [Note the large file size, 2MB].

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London 2005 Mental Health Summit

The Centre for Excellence in the Governance of London (CEGoL), which OPM hosted, held a mental health summit, bringing together representatives of public, independent and voluntary sector organisations to explore ways of improving provision for service users. This is a report of the summit event

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Netborough: Integrated service networks to meet the needs of older people and people with learning disabilities

This paper examines how integrated service networks could be used to provide personalised, outcome-focused services. Using as an example the fictitious ‘Netborough’, the paper shows how local partnerships might set out to meet the challenge of improving services for older people and people with learning disabilities. It describes how networks are organised, the arrangements for care management and support brokerage, and the implications for commissioning, market management and governance.

Netborough: Integrated service networks to meet the needs of older people and people with learning disabilities (PDF 515KB)

You can also buy a printed copy of this booklet.

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Networks: Resolving the collateral issues associated with managed clinical networks

This is the report of a project to test cancer networks, carried out by OPM for the NHS South Eastern Regional Office.

Managed clinical networks offer the NHS an opportunity to deliver fast and predictable improvements to patient services. Yet there is a growing disquiet about how they might be integrated into the rest of the NHS. The NetWorks project was designed to answer those questions and has resulted in this report – a robust view of ‘who needs to do what’ to enable managed clinical networks to deliver their promise. It involved over 70 people from across the NHS, using OPM’s open simulation process to explore in a highly realistic way how managed clinical networks can deliver their promise on the ground.

Networks: Resolving the collateral issues associated with managed clinical networks (PDF 215KB)

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Optimising Value: the motivation of doctors and managers in the NHS

This report provides clear evidence that doctors and managers in the NHS share the same goals and values. For both groups, the main motivation for doing their jobs is to improve the health of patients and the local community. This desire to provide effective and high quality services provides a unifying sense of purpose across the health service.

This report analyses what 140 senior staff said about the motivations that drive them, about their job satisfaction and about their expectations of the future of the NHS. It shows that their high levels of job satisfaction are being eroded by problems they encounter in the NHS, including a lack of resources, the amount of change in the system and the failure of NHS leaders to value staff and involve them in decisions. One third of our interviewees said they would leave the NHS in the next few years if nothing changed.

The findings of the study present a strong case for government and NHS leaders to do more to harness doctors' and managers' commitment to their local services and community, and to address the causes of their demotivation. They show that this is likely to be more effective than financial rewards, such as performance related pay, which are rejected by most senior managers and doctors.

188mmx244mm; 82pp; August 2001
ISBN 1 904002 00 5
download PDF of 'Optimising Value'

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Out of Hours?

This report is the product of an interactive event, sponsored by the Department of Health, to examine and test the shape of out of hours provision in primary care, post the new GP Contract.

Out of Hours? (PDF 65kb)

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Perfect Partners:
Capturing the essence of successful partnership working in East Ayrshire

In October 2002, the Joint Futures Unit convened a Short Life Working Group (SLWG) on one particular aspect of partnership working - identifying barriers and promoting solutions to joint premises development in community care. The group identified some high level principles for successful partnership working in the development of joint premises.

As part of its efforts to disseminate examples of good practice, the SLWG (through Ayrshire and Arran Primary Care NHS Trust) asked us to explore in more depth what factors critically supported and hindered the creation of the Dalmellington Area Centre. The aims of the study were threefold:

• to provide some external validation of what took place in East Ayrshire
• to test out and build upon the recommendations of the SLWG
• from the evidence in East Ayrshire, to produce guidance on developing effective partnerships to support joint premises development elsewhere in Scotland.

The result of the work is this practice handbook.

Download the handbook.
Or visit the Scottish Executive website

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Reforming prison dental services in England : A guide to good practice

This study reviewed the modernisation plans and subsequent progress made in all prison dental health services in England. Although we found large variations in the way services were organised we also identified many examples of good practice that dental services, prisons and PCTs could follow. The report concludes with ten positive suggestions for SHAs, PCTs and prison dental health services which together could make a real difference to the dental health and care for prisoners.

Download the report [PDF, 579KB]

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Using Values to Change Disability Services

Since the 1960s, learning disability services have undergone substantial change and are starting to provide a service that recognises the ‘full human equality of all our people’. Large residential institutions have been replaced by care in the community and services are being geared to the individual. In 2001, the government announced a strategy for learning disability for the 21st century. In the context of this national strategy, the authors of this booklet have analysed what managers need to do to implement value-based services.

This booklet will provide you with:

• an understanding of what is required to manage strategic change effectively in services for people with learning disabilities;
• an appreciation of the strategic changes that learning disabilities services have undergone since the 1960s;
• an analysis of the new national strategy for learning disability;
• an introduction to new tools for planning and managing strategic change;
• an explanation of the concept of building ‘resilient’ communities to transform services for people with learning disabilities and their communities.

36pp A5; June 2001
ISBN: 1 898531 72 2

 download PDF of 'Using Values'

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Who Cares, Wins

A new nursing initiative aims to push patient care up the board agenda of health trusts and address the further development of senior nurses. The Burdett Trust for Nursing commissioned OPM to carry out a study to form the basis for the development for executive nurses and the boards of which they are members. Increasingly, patient-centred healthcare provision and commissioning are demanding a different approach to the way local boards operate and manage patient care. Customer care, reputation, marketing, risk management and innovative quality care now need equal ranking with finance, targets and outcomes on boards' agendas. This report is available from the Burdett Trust.

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Why health? the economic case

Commissioned by the London Development Agency, this study explores the links between health improvement and sustainable economic development.

For policy-makers and practitioners involved in economic development the report builds a robust, evidence-based case for why health impact should be taken into account in shaping their work. For those involved in health activity the report evidences how sustainable economic development can significantly contribute to their objectives. For example, Care Minister Ivan Lewis notes: 'We should think, too, about the wider benefits of some of the [care services] initiatives that are going on - a recent Office for Public Management study highlights the mutually reinforcing relationship between economic development and health.'

Read more and download papers

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Budget holding lead professionals

We have a range of papers. If you cannot find the paper you are after here, you might wish to check on the Every Child Matters website:

• BHLP in Context – Three briefings  (Jan 07) 314Kb PDF
• BHLP Pilot – Comparative report of different process models  (Jan 07)2.3Mb PDF
• BHLP Support – General guidance on financial management and control to inform the development of local arrangements (Aug 06) 93Kb PDF
• Commissioning Change for Children – Understanding how the BHLP role can transform services  (Dec 06) 410Kb PDF
• A Comparison of budget holding by lead professionals and the use of individual budgets (Nov 07) 176Kb PDF
• Pooled budgets: issues for BHLPs
• Realising the Potential Efficiency Gains from BHLPs (May 07) 59Kb PDF
• Reviewing Childcare Sufficiency Assessments (May 08) 554KB PDF: Our report to DCSF examined whether local authorities had completed their childcare sufficiency assessments in a consistent and valid way which satisfied the requirements of the Childcare Act 2006; and to identify key findings in relation to gaps between supply and demand for childcare.
• Towards Mainstreaming BHLP – Interim report with questions (Jan 07) 76Kb PDF
• Towards Mainstreaming BHLP – Second interim report (May 07) 62Kb PDF
• Whether and how to extend funds held by budget-holding lead professionals: progress report (Oct 07) 76Kb PDF

Also visit our change for children pages

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Dental decay in children aged five and fifteen in England: a futures study

This ambitious study aims to answer two simple questions: what will happen to the dental needs of children if current trends continue? How much improvement in dental health could be gained over the next 20 years? The findings were startling - with significant public health efforts up to 90% of children born in 2005 could still have no obvious dental decay by their 15th birthday. There is a real opportunity to transform the dental health of children and future adults.

Download the report. [PDF, 1.21MB Please note the large file size may take some time to download on slow connections.]

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Every child matters briefing papers (Dec 03 and Jan 05)

[Jan 05 paper] The Children Act 2004 and the publication of Every Child Matters: Change for Children provided an even greater impetus to the work that all partner agencies have been involved in to develop integrated, outcome-focused services for children, young people and their families. Like many other organisations, OPM has being providing direct consultancy support, research and management development programmes to support inter-agency collaboration. This paper uses what has become known as the ‘DfES onion’ model to explore the management and organisational changes required by the Change for Children programme and highlights relevant developments to which OPM has contributed. Download PDF of the 'Every Child Matters briefing paper' 160KB

[Dec 03 paper] In responding to the green paper, local organisations need to relate existing and proposed developments in children’s services to their local circumstances, to see how likely they are to achieve the Green Paper’s goals. In this document we describe how to do this in a systematic way, using two frameworks OPM developed with senior managers in education, health and social care. download PDF of our briefing paper on the Green paper 146KB

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Integrated Commissioning for Children's Services

This book provides practical guidance for all those involved in integrated commissioning for children’s services. After defining commissioning and the development of the concept within public services in England, it includes sections about the organisation of the commissioning function within children’s services authorities, the governance of commissioning, and the management of commissioners’ relationships with different service providers. It also explains multilevel commissioning and suggests a simple framework to ensure high standards to keep children safe from harm. You can download sample pages from this book or order the complete book from our bookstore

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Integrating health and social care

Two, four, six, eight: How we gonna integrate?: a short paper on integration between health and social care. (PDF 71KB)

You might also be interested in the books we have published, available in our bookstore

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Introducing individual budgets and self-directed support for disabled children, young people and their families and carers

A report for the Department for Children, Schools and Families by Nic Crosby of In Control and Clive Miller of OPM. The paper focuses on the benefits and challenges that the use of self-directed support poses for disabled children, young people, their families, carers, service providers and commissioners.

download Introducing Individual Budgets

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Managing Childhood Asthma in Schools

Good management of asthma is vital for children of school age with the condition. The focus of this research, carried out for the Office of Public Service Reform, was to understand the impact of asthma on children and young people in school and hear their recommendations for improving asthma management.

Our approach brought children and young people together with health and education professionals, allowing the latter to hear and respond directly to children and young people's views.

Managing Childhood Asthma in Schools - Summary report (pdf, 404kb)

Managing Childhood Asthma in Schools - full report (pdf, 450kb)

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The organisational implications of the Children’s Services Green Paper

In responding to the paper, local organisations will need to relate existing and proposed developments in children’s services to their local circumstances, to see how likely they are to achieve the Green Paper’s goals. In this document we describe how to do this in a systematic way, using two frameworks OPM has developed with senior managers in education, health and social care.

Download the paper (PDF 146KB)

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Community Justice: A US-UK Exchange

On October 22, 2004, the Center for Court Innovation and OPM convened an international roundtable on community justice at OPM’s London centre.

The goals of the day-long workshop -- which was attended by two dozen policymakers, academics, funders, and criminal justice practitioners from both the UK and the US -- were to attempt to define 'community justice' and to articulate both its opportunities and risks for transforming the relationship between criminal justice agencies and citizens. At the same time, the workshop also enabled those present to have an in-depth discussion regarding the UK’s first model community justice centre, located in Liverpool, which is attempting to translate the theory of community justice into real-life practice.

The Attorney General Lord Goldsmith QC said: 'This was an inspiring day. Having had the opportunity myself to visit the Red Hook and other projects in New York, I was delighted that others in the Criminal Justice System here could learn about the innovative techniques and tools being put to use there so successfully. We are going to make community involvement and problem solving a reality here in the Community Justice Centre in North Liverpool, in Salford and elsewhere. I am challenging prosecutors to think creatively about their role at the heart of community justice, from start to finish. What has been discussed here will blaze a trail across the country.'

Download Community Justice: A US-UK Exchange (Word, 58kb)

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