McKinsey and public sector reform

A brief but interesting article on public sector reform can be found on the McKinsey Quarterly website. (You'll need to register but its free and painless.)

It concludes:

Reform in the UK public sector is heading in the right direction, but unless government departments and public services have the necessary leadership and capabilities, the results will be disappointing.

One omission from the article is any mention of how mutual forms of organisation can improve public services. There are ideas out there from people like the think tank Mutuo.

We are seeing this in the UK - some tenant-led housing associations taking over council housing; new forms accountability in the NHS with Foundation Trusts.

The article does seem to think of public services and reform in terms of government, officials and managers.

To empower people and renew trust, reform need to put the customers of public services centre stage.