Theresa May MP
Theresa May does not run a public service. Nevertheless, I would argue that her approach to policing reform, which has been the outstanding example of public service transformation in this parliament, amounts to an innovation in its own right.
Other politicians have introduced reforms of public sector workforces (as she did with the Winsor Review of police terms and conditions) and sharpened the accountability of public services (in this case, via the introduction of Police and Crime Commissioners). Still others, such as Eric Pickles or Philip Hammond, have cut budgets in order to reduce deficits in public finances. have cut budgets in order to reduce deficits in public finances (the police will undergo budget cuts of around a quarter in real terms during this parliament).
What distinguishes Theresa May is that she combined all of these into a coherent programme – as Steve McGuirk would say, she is a recombinant innovator. She has also maintained political support for these changes, in contrast to (say) the government’s loss of confidence in its NHS reforms. Theresa is a model of how to deliver real innovation in practice.
Steve McGuirk, county fire officer and chief executive, Greater Manchester
In 2001-02, there were 34,497 fires and 36 fire deaths in the area served by the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) when it employed 1,800 full-time fire fighters. By 2013-14, there were 12,194 fires and 17 fire deaths (a fall of 65 per cent and 53 per cent respectively) yet the service employed only 1,384 full-time fire fighters, down by 23 per cent. This is the perfect example of more for less – the productivity imperative that now lies at the heart of public service reform.
Steve McGuirk was one of the pioneers of a redesign of the fire business model, from response to prevention. His objective of preventing fires was shared with every member of the service, resulting in a tremendous growth in the use of fire alarms. He carried out detailed analysis of fire events which revealed, in his words, that “fires often follow very clear and discernible trends” both in terms of location and time of day. This allowed better targeting of both fire engines and safety work.
He is now in the vanguard of two further innovations. The first is a much greater use of new technology, from advanced thermal imaging to new methods of putting high-pressure water on fires through doors and walls. Both of these steps will allow fires to be tackled more quickly and with less danger to fire fighters.
The second is to broaden the service’s capabilities in prevention, with a bid for GMFRS to set up critical risk intervention teams which would carry out home visits to improve security against falls and property crime, as well as fire.
Steve uses the phrase “recombinant innovation” to describe his work. By this he means taking existing ideas and combining them into something new. That may be true but, for me, it underplays the scale of his ingenuity. I hope he finds a new role in public service reform when he retires next year.
Ali Parsa, entrepreneur
Ali Parsa has led two of the most innovative UK health companies of recent years. The first, Circle, brings new ideas to healthcare; its new-build hospitals are characterised by a comprehensive focus on quality, from ward design to the food on the menu.
Circle was the first company to take over the management of a failing NHS trust – in what became a high-profile test case for private sector provision. It has just won a contract in Bedfordshire, which could see health provision entirely reshaped to deliver better outcomes; in this case, reduced incidence of musculoskeletal problems. Circle will organise each part of the patient journey, from prevention to the GP surgery through to admission – ‘integrated care’ in action. It should also allow Circle to shift resources to where they can do most good, away from hospitals to primary care. For these reasons, the Bedfordshire contract could be a model for health reform in the UK.
The second, Babylon, exploits the power of digital communication. Babylon is a smartphone app that launched in the UK in April. It allows patients to book near-immediate consultations with GPs and specialists via mobile phones and tablets at a cost of £7.99 per month in the UK for adults (£4.99 per month for children). It will work together with other apps to allow citizens to monitor or improve their own health. It will revolutionise access to medical advice both in the UK and in the developing world.
This article has been published in
Ethos Journal
, and is written by Andrew Haldenby