Wales takes big steps towards becoming a digital nation
A round up of developments in government organisations in Wales during 2020
This year has marked some big changes around digital in government organisations in Wales, which may have slipped under your radar with all the talk of the c-word. Covid may be occupying everyone’s minds at the moment. So here’s a quick overview of the exciting developments that we’re taking as a nation towards a more digital Wales.
First it was System Reboot
Before we look back over 2020, it’s worth briefly hopping back to 2018, and the publication of System Reboot: Transforming Public Services Through Better Use of Digital. The report highlighted pockets of good practice as well as some significant areas for improvement in government organisations in Wales. The report made six recommendations:
1. Design public services around the needs of the user.
2. Establish clear digital leadership in Wales.
3. Develop and introduce digital service standards.
4. Identify skills and capability gaps and develop a plan to close them.
5. Create an approach to incentivisation and spend controls.
6. Agree a clear and ambitious timetable for change demonstrating pace and scale.
It certainly feels that progress is being made at pace on many of these recommendations. Let’s unpack that in a bit more detail.
The new Centre for Digital Public Services
On the back of these recommendations, the Centre for Digital Public Services (affectionately known as the CDPS) got off the ground in the spring of 2020, just in time for lockdown #1, with a remit to transform digital services across the devolved Welsh public sector, by bringing together Welsh public servants and digital transformation experts. With Sally Meecham and Simon Renault at the helm, their work is focused on:
knowledge sharing hub and service standards for Wales.
The Digital Service Standards are currently in Beta. Some public sector organisations have volunteered to test these standards.
Public Digital are working on the knowledge sharing hub.
deploy a squad to work on a specific challenge within the Welsh public sector.
Social Finance have been working collaboratively with Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent and Neath Port Talbot Councils on improving access to adult social care, applying user centred service design.
develop the digital skills of public servants.
This is us! Working with the Centre, we’ve trained over 100 leaders and delivery folk within the three local authorities hosting the squad
This training, “Leading Public Services in the Digital Age: Introduction to service design for leaders” is to be rolled out to the remaining 19 local authority leadership teams between now and next March. Get in touch with Tim at the Centre if that is you!
And these workstreams are all being progressed, at pace supported by Perago as programme managers.
New Chief Digital Officers for Wales
It seems that Chief Digital Officers in Wales are multiplying like rabbits! Two new high profile Chief Digital Officers (CDO’s) have recently taken up permanent posts. Glyn Jones replaced Caren Fullerton as CDO at Welsh Government and Sam Hall took up the brand new role of Local Government CDO at the Welsh Local Government Association in November.
While Caren was focused on getting the internal ducks in a row by revamping Welsh Government’s internal tech, Glyn and his team are working on developing a new Digital Strategy for Wales. This strategy is more outward looking, with a focus on the digitization of services for citizens. They’re working in the open and inviting comments on their vision and mission right now. Lee Waters has given some context.
NHS Wales has also joined this new wave of digital leaders with the appointment of Bob Hudson in November as the interim head of its new special health authority Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW) which will operate from 1 April 2021.
Wales Audit Office signals a change too with the appointment of Anne-Louise Clark as Executive Director of Communications and Change to oversee their change and digital transformation programme. She says
“I come with a relentless focus on delivering better outcomes for citizens, business and those who work across the sector”.
It’s interesting to note that Karen Jones, Neath Port Talbot Council’s former Chief Digital Officer, has recently taken the CEO job at the Council - giving a clear indication of the importance of digital to them. The council is also a strong supporter of the work at CDPS, (having co-hosted the first squad).
With this new focus on digital at the top table, the prospects for a more digital future, with increasing emphasis on the needs of citizens is looking positive for Wales.
Changing attitudes
I’ve worked in the Welsh public sector since 2003. And it feels like the cork has finally popped on digital! I detect a recent and significant shift in attitudes, reflected in a developing appetite among staff and leaders to think differently and adapt. No doubt brought on by the increased use of digital forced upon many of us by the pandemic, the decreasing financial pot available to dip into while facing increased social need. The pressure pot needs a release valve - perhaps a new way of working can offer some of this.
I’ve shared what I know. But nobody can have a full picture of everything that’s going on!
So, if you’re aware of other developments, (even seemingly small ones) in Welsh public services, please do share in the comments.
I am excited to see what 2021 will bring!
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Jargon buster
Squad is a team of experts deployed on a challenge, using agile ways of working.
Agile ways of working has its roots in software development and looks to get working software in the hands of end users as quickly as possible.
Discovery is about understanding the problem that needs to be solved before committing to building a service.
Alpha is about trying out different solutions to the problem you identified during your discovery phase.
Beta is about taking your best idea from alpha and start to build it as a service.
Definitions taken from A quick guide to agile terminology by CDPS
